Soturi
by Ticklesivory
Summary: Obidala. This story is in two parts. Part 1 is an AR Obidala tale with TPM Obi-Wan playing the part of a romanesque warrior. In Part 2, to escape certain death, Obi-Wan decides to take a huge leap of faith, ending up in a place where his true destiny awaits.
1. Chapter 1

**Title: **Soturi

**Author: **Ticklesivory

**Rating: **M

**Warnings: **Graphic violence, adult situations, adult language, sexual situations (more than likely)

**Disclaimer: ** These characters used to belong to George Lucas. I hear someone else is in charge now. I just borrow them from time to time.

**Summary: **In a world where experiencing a violent death is all in a day's work, a young man must choose between what he believes is his destiny, and stepping into the unknown to help a stranger.

**Personal Note: **This story is going to start out in an alternate reality, but don't worry. ;) It will come around to AGFFA eventually, as well as focusing on an Obidala relationship. It might take me a while to get there, but I _will_ get there! I have a feeling this is going to be another long one, so you may want get comfortable.

This is another challenge fic for me. I don't believe I've written a true AR story before, and even though this one is only temporarily dwelling in AR, I'm counting it as that.

* * *

**Chapter One**

Avi-Kao: A barren wasteland, home to nearly one million souls. Its desert plains gently roll for as far as the eye can see, the sandy terrain broken up only by the locations of small villages randomly scattered, and well-traveled roads - roads which all lead to the same location: The capital city, Upea.

In Upea, there is life, and abundant waters flow from wells, which do not dry up. There are trees and vegetation, which do not wither in the heat of the suns, and provide shade and abundant food for its meager population.

All wish to live there, but only the privileged few earn the right.

While the rest of Avi-Kao produces blood, Upea produces champions. Each year, the Emperor hosts the Soturi Battles in Upea, and only those who have fought well and won small-scale skirmishes across the plains are invited to participate.

Whoever wins the Soturi Battles, wins permanent citizenship in Upea – not only for themselves, but for their entire family down through the generations. Other prizes such as wealth and fame are also presented to the winner, but it's citizenship that is the most sought after. It's the ultimate reward because it automatically ends a life of hardship and suffering in the desert sand and heat.

Upea is paradise, and Qui-Gon Jinn had once dipped his tongue in its clear waters just long enough to leave him yearning for more. He would give anything to return; to share in its bounty, drink of its rich wine, and enjoy a woman whose skin wasn't as tough as leather.

As the years passed, however, Qui-Gon realized his chance of such glory had passed him by, although there was one other way to gain entrance into Upea. He was still in pursuit of that dream, and was the reason he found himself standing in the blistering heat, his body being pelted by blowing sand.

"That one's from the North," the dealer informed him, pointing out a rather robust, dark-skinned male brandishing a skull hammer.

Sol-Han was a greedy son-of-a-bitch, but he was honest and fair. Over their years of dealing together, he had never steered Qui-Gon wrong or tried to cheat him.

"He looks a bit…tired," Qui-Gon noted as he watched the fighter participating in one of the mock battles occurring all over the training field.

The northerner was facing a much smaller opponent, outweighing the youth by nearly ten kidras, but he was having trouble keeping up. He was obviously also having trouble seeing, and had been side-swiped by his opponent several times. It appeared as if he'd already lost an eye at some point in his career.

"He's been fighting a few years, I'll admit it," Sol defended his stock, "but the tough life of the northern hills ages a man prematurely. He's only twenty-seven. He's got stamina. I'd say he could go toe to toe with just about anything. That's your man."

Qui-Gon gazed at the potential warrior, quickly determining he wasn't quite what he'd envisioned. Besides, when it came to matters such as this, he always got a feeling about it.

The feeling he was experiencing right now was telling him to consider something else.

"Let me think about that one," Qui-Gon informed Sol, scanning the rest of the potentials who continued to battle.

Too young, too obese, too aggressive, too slow. It had been a few years since the pickings had been this slim.

Ready to give up and perhaps wait until next season, Qui-Gon happened to glance over to the far side of the field where the practice weapons were being stored and passed out, to behold a young man, fairly short in stature, ruddy in appearance. His body was compact and muscular, and it appeared he didn't have a single scar on him.

"Who's that?" he pondered out loud.

Sol followed the older man's line of sight and chuckled when he figured out who had gained his attention. "Him? He's much too young, Qui, too inexperienced. He hasn't even fought in an arena yet. I picked him up outside of Taresh. He'd been cast into the Pit."

A penalty usually given to a criminal, but this young man didn't have the look of a law-breaker. In fact, he had the look of a scrapper, and Qu-Gon wondered if he could handle a sword.

The answer to his question came when one of the fighters, the heavyset one Sol had tried to pawn off on him earlier called out to the young man, tossing him his weapon before giving the weapons manager time to even turn around.

"Hey, Obi-Wan, toss me the pike. It's time to teach these children a lesson."

As if he had eyes in the back of his head, the man called Obi-Wan reached up and snatched the hammer out of the air, turning a smirk on the approaching fighter.

"Nice catch, kid. Why don't you grab that axe and come out here and let me teach _you_ a few things?"

"Some other time, Ro-Du," the young man teased, tossing over the weapon the bigger man had originally asked for.

"One of these days, Obi-Wan, you and I are going to meet in the arena, and it's not going to be pretty."

Qui-Gon noticed the youth didn't reply, just smiled and returned to his task of putting the various practice weapons back into their positions on the rack.

Patience, tolerance, agility, speed, and an uncanny sense of environment. Not to mention, good looks.

His mind was made up. Qui-Gon had finally found his Soturi.

"I'll buy that one," he told Sol, ignoring the complete look of shock on the man's bearded face.

"Are you sure?"

Qui-Gon looked the youth over once more, and waited for that feeling, which came upon him like a herd of xidras.

"I'm sure."


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter Two **

A cloud of sand and dust rose up and enveloped the two men as they fought, their shoulder armor gleaming brightly in the hot twin suns over Tembro, where Qui-Gon had been born.

He had purchased his Soturi for only twenty sentin and had brought him to his modest house. Not exactly a home. He hadn't visited it in over a year. Qui-Gon had always considered Avi-Kao his home. Upea was his destiny and the one who would deliver him was standing close by.

He had taken quite a ribbing when he'd completed his purchase, not only from Sol, but from most of the other buyers who were present at the auction. They had called Obi-Wan a runt, and wondered if Qui-Gon was allowing his overwhelming compassion to overrule his common sense.

Qui-Gon knew better. He had felt the pull inside him, as if an invisible hand was leading him directly to the young man. Obi-Wan was the one who was going to lead him back to the promised land. He just knew it. Although, at the moment, he wasn't showing much potential.

"Keep your stance more narrow, and stop dancing around so much," he criticized the young man.

"Yes, Master," Obi-Wan replied, immediately adjusting his sandaled feet, and bringing forth the wooden weapon; a sword just about the length of his forearm, not the heavy, longer ones favored by some fighters.

"Swords are for cutting an opponent and can cause a lot of damage in the right hands. Precise slashes can be made in a variety of places, but there are certain areas which will cause the most harm. Across the lower abdomen like this," Qui-Gon demonstrated, pretending to swipe across Obi-Wan's belly. "A deep enough wound will spill the bowels. A cut at the neck, in this manner," the practice weapon was sliced diagonally across the young man's throat, "injures a vital artery, as will a deep slice across the inner thigh. Your opponent will bleed to death fairly quickly. Don't forget the back of the ankles or knees. Either certainly takes the fight out of a man. It doesn't take a lot of power to deliver these injuries, just agility and speed. Now, strike."

Obi-Wan did as he was told, and the swings were executed as demonstrated, but there was still quite a bit lacking in his technique. Qui-Gon easily blocked every attempt the young man made to try and penetrate his defenses, effectively backing him up toward the wall of his house.

With a series of precision strokes in diagonal and horiztontal directions, Qui-Gon had managed to completely disarm the young man, sending his practice sword flying though the air, and causing Obi-Wan's head to hang in disappointment.

If it weren't for the confidence in his insights, Qui-Gon would think he'd made a mistake, that all those who teased him after the auction had been right. There were times in his life when he'd allowed distractions to interfere with his perceptions, but not this time. There was something else going on which was inhibiting Obi-Wan's concentration, but he didn't know how to ask. He was pleased to discover he didn't have to.

"Why me?"

The question was quietly spoken, and were the first words the young man had spoken to him. There had been no introduction after the auction, no conversation during the four hour ride to the village. Obi-Wan had been pensive and quiet, seeming to take in everything around him, as if were memorizing each and every detail.

Qui-Gon walked over and picked up the young man's weapon before answering, tossing it back to him. Obi-Wan hadn't yet looked up, but the sword ended up in his hand anyway. Qui-Gon's mouth lifted with a grin of confirmation his decision had been correct.

"I believe you have the potential to become a great fighter," he answered simply, though not convincing the young man, whose brow was raised in suspicion. "But you're holding back," he continued. "You need to trust your feelings while you fight."

"You really believe I can be Soturi?" Obi-Wan twirled the blade between his digits, revealing a level of comfort Qui-Gon suspected.

"I believe, with enough hard work, you can be anything you want to be, Obi-Wan. You have the ability to see things before they happen, don't you?"

As the weapon continued to twirl, a smile creased the young man's cheek, while at the same time, worry lined his brow.

"What is it?" Qui-Gon prompted. If there was something Obi-Wan needed to tell him, he needed to tell him now. There was a lot of work to be done and any concerns must be dealt with a timely fashion.

"You'll think I'm crazy," Obi-Wan admitted, the smile disappearing from his face.

"Tell me."

The absent-minded swordplay had ended, the young man's features sobering as he shared what was troubling him.

"As far back as I can remember, I've been able to do as you say. I see things happen. I hear voices. I experience visions. Some are more clear than others. Some visions are here and now, and some...I can't explain. They're like a fantastical dream, filled with strange people and animals I've never seen before."

Qui-Gon listened carefully. He'd initially thought he and this young man shared his gift of perception but frankly, he didn't understand a word he was saying. Did Obi-Wan just tell him he'd had these experiences as a child? How could a child deal with such a thing?

"Did you share this with your family?"

"I have no family." Obi-Wan explained. "My parents were killed by raiders when I was an infant. I was raised on a work farm by a kind man who educated me, but then he died, and I was sold into slavery. I didn't share my experiences until I was sixteen, with a girl I thought I was in love with, and was someone I could trust. But she told my Master, and he sent me to the Pit because he thought I was a lunatic."

It was a story told by hundreds, perhaps thousands living on Avi-Kao. Families destroyed, children sold as slaves, brain damaged innocents confined to imprisonment alongside criminals.

Although, in this case, Obi-Wan was not damaged. He was exceptional, and Qui-Gon planned on making him aware of just how much.

"I don't think you're crazy. I too have an uncommon insight. I've been aware of it since I was young, but didn't understand it until I was much older. Now, I use it to my advantage, just as you will."

Obi-Wan's brow turned skeptical, causing Qui-Gon to reassure him with a friendly, reassuring pat on his one bare shoulder.

"I will teach you. But first, let's continue to work on your swing."


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter Three**

Two years. It had taken two years to train Obi-Wan to the point Qui-Gon thought he was ready to fight in an arena. Two years of spending almost every sentin he had and selling most of his possessions just to survive. There were moments which had been difficult, when one or both of them were ready to call it quits, to go their separate ways. However, their ultimate goal lay before them, tempting and taunting, and kept Qui-Gon focused and sure. It had been a difficult road, but it had been worth the travel.

During that time, Obi-Wan had developed successfully not only in body and mind, but also in spirit. He was now confident in his attitude and his abilities, no longer embarrassed or afraid of his gifts, but now knew how to use them.

Qui-Gon was quite pleased with the results of all his efforts. But Qui-Gon's pleasure meant very little. The true test of Obi-Wan's training was to occur at sunset this day, in the arena of Pieni, just outside the small village of Fardu-Kur. This was the first stop on their journey to Upea, where once again Qui-Gon was forced to sacrifice what little he had to attain his dream.

The manager of Pieni gazed at the gold ring with so much disdain, Qui-Gon wished to force it down his throat and make him swallow it whole. The ring had belonged to his father once, and was the only reminder he had of him. Qui-Gon had kept it hidden in his home all through his adult life, only bringing it out now in order to pay for Obi-Wan's entry fee, and convince the manager to allow his Soturi to fight.

Gan-Na, the middle-age, olive-skinned manager placed the ring down on his velvet-covered table and reached for a goblet of wine, quenching his thirst while looking Obi-Wan over from head to toe. He wiped the drops of liquid clinging to his short beard with the sleeve of his expensive purple tunic before returning his apathetic gaze to Qui-Gon.

"He's too small. Better luck next time," Gan announced, placing the ring back on the opposite side of the table, where Qui-Gon sat waiting expectantly.

"You're making a mistake, Gan," Qui-Gon tried to convince the manager, while curling his sweaty palm tightly around the important piece of jewelry. "He might not look like much, but he's the best swordsman I've seen in a passing."

"My customers expect blood," Gan explained unnecessarily. "And lots of it. This boy doesn't look capable of even holding the club."

"He can fight, I tell you! I trained him myself."

Qui-Gon prayed his reputation preceded him after all these years, that those still in the business remembered who he had once been, and would take his word for its worth.

Lips beneath a graying moustache curled upward in relief when Gan-Na reached out to look at the ring again. This time, the arena manager asked his female assistant to bring him a glass, which he used to study the center stone up close.

Gan-Na had always been difficult to read. His features were often indifferent, and the only time his expression changed was when he didn't care for the wine being served.

This time, he handed the ring off to his assistant; a rather attractive young woman with long dark braids looped about her head. She had the same coloring as Gan-Na, and Qui-Gon wondered if there was a relation.

"Ten extra sentin, and he's through," the manager announced smugly.

Qui-Gon frowned. "I don't have it. I've spent everything, Gan, but I'll make you a deal. If he wins, I'll double your commission."

Gan-Na once more took inventory of the young man who stood attentively beside Qui-Gon's chair, apparently noting the old-fashioned sandles wrapped about his lower legs, the dented metal plating of his shin armor, the patched leather wrap about his torso, as well as the pock-marked shoulder armor, and he scowled in distaste.

But he must have also seen the flawless skin, the toned muscles, and the guileless expression on the young man's face, because for the first time since Qui-Gon had dealt with the man, Gan-Na smiled. It was a brief, hesitant offering, but it completely changed the mood of the negotiation.

"I'll schedule him for round seven. He'll fight by firelight and we shall see how well those pretty eyes of his can adjust to the dark.

Qui-Gon stood and bowed curtly, ushering Obi-Wan quickly away. The deal was made, and he was okay with it. He had trained Obi-Wan to fight in a variety of situations; even to fight blind, and he was confident the young man could handle the dim lighting. In this part of Avi-Kao, especially at the beginning of the fighting season, the temperatures soared much too high for daytime arena battles. It wasn't about the Soturi's health, mind you, but for the audience. They apparently preferred watching death in as little discomfort as possible.

Throughout his career, Qui-Gon had experienced every battle scenario one could imagine, and he had prepared Obi-Wan for them all. A handful of sand can cause a fighter to lose sight, and in that instant, they are extremely vulnerable to attack. A Soturi must be able to adjust and use his other senses to compensate. A blow to the head can ring the ears, and muffle the sound of approaching feet. A Soturi must compensate for that as well.

Qui-Gon was convinced he had taught Obi-Wan everything he needed to know, however, Obi-Wan wasn't so sure. He was nervous. He tried not to show it, to let his Master see, but this was a real battle he was about to undertake. This wasn't a practice round with Qui-Gon, or a playful match with a servant. This was a life or death situation.

True, he had learned much in the two years since Qui-Gon had purchased him, and he was most appreciative of the opportunity. Qui-Gon had saved him from a lifetime of slavery and servitude, and he owed him a great deal in return. He prayed he would do well in the arena, mostly because he didn't want to disappoint the man. Qui-Gon had given up so much for him.

"Begin your meditations. The rounds will begin momentarily and they will pass quickly," Qui-Gon told him as they entered the gated corral outside the arena. "Remember what I've taught you, and let your feelings guide you. Trust in them, and you will not fail. I believe in you, Obi-Wan."

The words were meant to bolster his confidence, but instead they compounded his concerns. Even as prepared as he was, Obi-Wan was still needled by a sense of inadequacy. Perhaps the feeling would pass in time, and with experience.

"Clear your mind," Qui-Gon whispered to Obi-Wan as he knelt upon the sand just outside the entry gate. "I'll be waiting outside the wall when you are finished."

"Yes, Master."

Obi-Wan didn't question his Master's statement. He hadn't expected Qui-Gon to watch. The man didn't care much for the gore and violence of Soturi battling.

Ridding his mind of worries, and focusing his thoughts inward, the roar of the gathered crowd just beyond the gate faded away, the sandy grit pressing into his knees softened to wisps of green tendrils touching his legs. Above him appeared limbs of greenery, filled with birds of every color. The air was heavy with moisture and the calls and cries of animal life. Somewhere in the distance was the sound of falling water. The setting was peaceful and nothing he had ever experienced in his life. It was quite unexpected, but not nearly as much as a piercing sound as if metal hit upon metal, and a star from the heavens shot through the air, splintering a tree directly in front of him. Several more stars shot across his vision, followed by luminous metallic birds crossing overhead. From their mouths shot the stars. They seemed angry and discontent, as if the very trees were their enemies.

Obi-Wan shielded his eyes from the overwhelming destruction, only then to make out a voice. A soft, sweet-sounding voice, almost like a child's. The more words it spoke, the clearer it became, until he could discern it wasn't a child's at all, but a woman's. She was speaking in a language he couldn't understand, but her tone was pleading, and he had the strongest feeling she needed his help.

And his help was something he would gladly give, but he didn't know how. This was another vision; one he could not begin to comprehend, and one which vanished as quickly as the six bouts ahead of him had.

The gate before him opened, the crowd cheered wildly, and the vision gave way to a dimly lit arena splattered with the blood and entrails of its previous victims.

Obi-Wan stood, unsheathed his short sword, and bravely stepped forward.

His first reaction was to the crowd, which surrounded him on every side, even hanging over the walls screaming profanities at him, teasing him and mocking him. He recalled the advice Qui-Gon had given him, and shut the noise out of his mind, focusing instead on his opponent, who was currently boldly striding across toward him. Although the Soturi wore a helmet, there were obvious factors about their appearance, several of which Qui-Gon actually hadn't prepared him for.

His first battle was with a woman. Or at least he thought it was a woman, although he'd never seen one quite so toned. She must be local, he figured since the crowd was apparently chanting her name.

_"Ta-Chi, Ta-Chi, Ta-Chi!" _ the people roared, to which she responded with a cry, and a thrust of her weapon into the air. His opponent had chosen a much heavier sicca, a long, curved sword with an elaborately carved handle.

Obi-Wan gripped his oval Parma shield and prepared his mind. He could no longer hear the chanting, nor the cry of his adversary. His focus was on the muscles of her neck, and the joints of her jaw, both of which twitched before she lunged forward with a shout.

Obi-Wan sidestepped the fruitless effort, frustrating the female who cried out savagely, turning on him and swinging her sicca in a whirling motion on either side of his head. Obi-Wan dodged to the left and the right, feeling the breeze the sword made as it passed his cheek each time.

His path was clearly placed before him, almost as if it were drawn out by the hand of a map maker, and he set his foot upon it, striking a blow across Ta-Chi's weapon-bearing arm on her next pass. She shrieked in dismay, her anger obviously distracting her. It was an opportunity Obi-Wan could not afford to let pass by, and he took advantage of her lack of focus, twirling behind the wild woman, and sweeping his sword across the backs of both her legs.

She immediately fell forward, screaming out her disgust and pain, gripping a wound she could not reach due to the excessive armor she wore. Only as she lay before the crowd, her life seeping into the sand at Obi-Wan's feet, did he manage to look into her eyes; eyes which were blue as the clearest sky and full of fear.

Obi-Wan knelt beside the woman, even as the crowd's sudden silence began to break and he could hear the slow rise of his own name being called out in a rhythmic manner.

"Go in peace, Soturi," he spoke gently, "may you wake in a much better place."

Slowly, the warrior's life ebbed away before Obi-Wan stood and turned to gaze at the crowd, who continued shouting his name. He continued rotating until he found the the face of the arena manager, Gan-Na, who, to his surprise, looked quite displeased, and rose immediately from his seat.

Obi-Wan walked to the gate through which he had come, and continued out of the corral to meet Qui-Gon on the outside wall.

"Well done, Soturi," his Master told him, placing a congratulatory pat upon his shoulder.

It was a happy moment, were it not for one thing.

"What was that?" Gan-Na shouted at them during his approach.

"A decisive victory," Qui-Gon answered back proudly.

"A victory?" Gan-Na mocked rather indignantly. "You call that a victory? You robbed my guests of the pleasure of the kill! That wasn't a victory! That wasn't even a battle!"

"What would you call it?" Qui-Gon replied, obviously toying with the man, although Gan-Na did not appear to be in the humoring mood.

"Whatever that was, it's going to cost me! I'll have hell to pay now, Qui-Gon, thanks to you."

Qui-Gon reached into his pocket and pulled out Obi-Wan's winnings, handing almost half to the manager. "I'm sure you can afford it, Gan," he said as he dropped the coins into the man's palm.

"Get the hell out of here, Qui-Gon."

As they put distance between them and the arena, Obi-Wan felt the necessity to point out one thing.

"It was a woman, Master," he informed Qui-Gon. "I wasn't quite prepared for that."

"Preparedness through awareness, my Obi-Wan," he replied.


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter Four**

Up and down, side to side, bounce, bounce, bounce, and every once in a while, a rather foul smell erupted from the beasts pulling the wagon in which he sat. Obi-Wan wasn't sure how much more he could take.

The next stop on the circuit was the Keski Arena in the modest village of Pentari. It was nearly 100 kintras from Fardu-Kur and would take two days to get there by wagon. When it all became too much to bear, Obi-Wan would hop down and walk, but the heat of the twin suns became overbearing, and he would soon return to the wagon and sit beneath the heavy tarp, which provided some relief. The xorax who pulled the wagon were huge, lumbering beasts who trodded along slowly. They were chosen for this type of work since they were dependable animals who rarely needed to stop for water. This was a good thing, because for nearly half the journey, there was no water source available.

At the end of the first day of travel, weary from the jostling ride, and nauseous from the smell, Qui-Gon stopped the wagon and announced they would be spending the night in a road-side tavern. Inside, they would find nourishment as well as a comfortable pallet to sleep on. Obi-Wan didn't care if it was comfortable or not, as long as he didn't have to smell the xorax all night.

Immediately upon entering the establishment, several people called out in a friendly manner to Qui-Gon, and he excused himself to join them, telling Obi-Wan to mingle and meet some new people.

Which was easy for Qui-Gon to say. Obi-Wan watched him for a while. He joked and was teased, seemed to deliver as much as he received, and appeared to be enjoying himself.

Obi-Wan, on the other hand, had always felt a little ill at ease when surrounded by strangers, and he chose to sit at a corner table by himself, spending the few sentin Qui-Gon had allowed him from his winnings to enjoy a mug of the local beverage: a frothy, grain-based substance, which he found delightfully smooth. He was about to enjoy another when the empty seat opposite him was suddenly filled by a man who appeared about his age and build. In fact, if Obi-Wan had ever had a brother, this young man could be him.

"Be careful with the grog," the stranger warned, "it's more potent than you think."

"It sure goes down smooth," Obi-Wan noted, swallowing another drink.

"And comes up pretty much the same the next morning. I don't think you'll want to face your next opponent hung-over."

"Probably not a good idea," Obi-Wan agreed, setting aside the half-empty vessel.

"My name's Gar-Ren."

"Obi-Wan."

The two exchanged friendly handshakes before Obi-Wan glanced across the oil-lamp lit tavern to watch his Master speak with a voluptuous young woman, whose skin was as dark as the mud at the bottom of the Pit. She was tall and thin, with long black hair, and wore skins wrapped tightly around her body. The longer Obi-Wan looked, the more he became aware the two weren't exactly talking, but flirting, and Qui-Gon was the agressor.

"I know who you are," Gar-Ren mentioned, reclaiming Obi-Wan's attention. "I'm on the circuit too."

"You're Soturi?" Obi-Wan asked, immediately regretting the surprise which reflected in his voice. Why should he be surprised? Gar-Ren and he were practically the same size.

"Second cycle," the young man explained, thankfully not noticing or ignoring the possible insult, "I was an apprentice the first year. I'm fighting this year, because frankly, I don't think my Master could find anyone else."

"I'm sure he could," Obi-Wan argued, even though he had no idea who Gar-Ren's Master was.

"It's just my time," the young man explained. "There are many more apprentices lined up behind me. It's not like I was handpicked. Not like you. You're the lucky one."

Was Gar-Ren now insulting him? His words held a trace of sarcasm, but perhaps tiredness was hampering his intuition. Gar-Ren's countenance seemed friendly. "What do you mean?"

Gar-Ren stared at him like he'd just tripped over his own feet. "Your Master, Qui-Gon is a legend! Years ago, he was Soturi. He even made it to the Grand Arena! He doesn't pick just anyone to train. Hasn't trained a fighter in years, as a matter of fact."

"I wouldn't know anything about that," Obi-Wan announced gravely, nodding to a barkeep that he would like a refill. "He doesn't talk much about his past."

His admission seemed to brighten the young man's face, but Obi-Wan wasn't sure why. "Then, let me be the one to share the story. Everyone in the business knows it, and you need to know it too."

Gar-Ren's eyes sparkled with the excitement of telling the tale, and Obi-Wan relaxed. It seemed the young man simply liked to talk, and Obi-Wan was a fresh audience.

"I hear your Master was the most cunning warrior to enter the arena. With eyes like a thark, he could almost see what was coming before it got there - from any angle. He was undefeated - until the Final Battle of course."

"What happened?" Obi-Wan was engrossed in the story and doing his best to ignore the fact his Master had wandered off and out the door with the dark-skinned maiden.

"He faced a warrior unlike any he had ever fought. Someone who's blade was so fast, it was a blur in the sand. It was all Qui-Gon could do to keep up, but he did. The crowd was amazed, and the Emperor reports he has never seen such a fight since. The battle raged on and on, stirring up the sand until it became a whirling storm, which blocked the view from everyone. When the cloud settled, Qui-Gon was down, and a winner was declared. But when the Emperor demanded death, the conqueror refused. "

"Why would he do that?" Obi-Wan was grateful, because Qui-Gon was alive to train him, but he didn't know refusing the Emperor was an option.

"Apparently, the winning Soturi had so much respect for Qui-Gon and his fighting abilities, he claimed Selitys – the Champion's Right. Because he did, Qui-Gon's life was spared."

"Who was this Soturi?"

"A westerner by the name of Win-Du," Gar-Ren informed him. "Apparently, the Emperor was so impressed with his bravery and mercy for claiming Selitys, he allowed Win-Du to start managing the Soturi Battles. I believe he still does to this day."

Win-Du. Even in the far reaches of his village, Obi-Wan had heard the name. He was the Emperor's right-hand man. But this was the first time he'd ever heard the story that went along with it.

He wanted to know more about Qui-Gon, and apparently Gar-Ren was the one to ask. He wasn't about to get the information from his rather stoic Master.

"What was so special about Qui-Gon's abilities?"

Gar-Ren leaned in, as if he was sharing a trade secret. "They say Qui-Gon was not only cunning, but powerful. That with one swipe of a sword, he could take a man's head off – even with neck armor on. I've heard your Master's battles were the bloodiest anyone's ever seen."

That was hard to believe.

"You doubt my story?" Gar-Ren asked, obviously reading the expression Obi-Wan wore too easily.

"It's just that my Master won't watch me fight. I didn't think he liked the violence."

Gar-Ren waited for a tavern employee to pass by before he responded. "I don't think it's that he doesn't want to watch you, I think it's because he's nervous and doesn't want to see you get hurt."

Perhaps that was it.

"Like I said, you're lucky." Gar-Ren continued. "I think my Master bets against me sometimes."

"No he doesn't," Obi-Wan laughed, hoping he was right. He couldn't imagine what that would feel like. Qui-Gon was his greatest supporter, not only his trainer.

Gar-Ren took a long drink from his mug, belching loudly afterward. "Everyone was surprised to hear Qui-Gon had purchased another Soturi after Xan-Tos."

Obi-Wan waited for further explanation patiently while Gar-Ren took another drink and was distracted by a passing female, until he could wait no further. "Who's Xan-Tos?"

"Sorry," the young man apologized, "Xan-Tos was Qui-Gon's first Soturi after he was offered Selitys. He was quite talented and quick. He fought a lot like you do."

Obi-Wan decided to take that as a compliment, but was interested in hearing more. "What happened to him?"

"A traitor happened." Gar-Ren aggressively flicked a spotted bug crawling across the table with his finger, sending it flying to the floor. "A traitor by the name of Asa-Ven. She's a real piece of work. Convinced Xan-Tos to leave Qui-Gon and train with her. Train..." the young man laughed and took another drink. "I think she seduced him and just wanted him for herself. No one's heard of either of them for a while."

"When did this happen? How do you know all this?"

"Years ago," Gar-Ren answered. "When my Master drinks too much of this shit, she starts talking, and I have to listen." Gar-Ren lifted his mug and stared at it, lost in thought or perhaps a memory. "She drinks a lot of this shit." He responded to his own statement by downing the rest of the ale and laughing loudly at his own joke.

She? Curiosity was getting the best of Obi-Wan by this time. "Gar-Ren, who is your trainer?"

"The infamous Yad-Le!" When Gar-Ren shouted the name, he rose from his seat and lifted his empty mug, causing the rest of the patrons in the tavern to do the same.

Was he missing something? He may have grown up an orphan and a slave, but he'd heard stories of the Soturi and their trainers, and he'd never heard of anyone named Yad-Le.

"Is your Master really that famous?" Obi-Wan asked his drinking companion once the noise had settled.

"No, not really. I'm just having some fun. I think you should join me! Let's have another round, and something to eat. I'm buying."

Obi-Wan agreed, overcome with the feeling that somehow he had just made a friend: His first.

* * *

IMPORTANT NOTICE!: With the posting of this chapter, I have 'officially' archived ONE MILLION words on FanfictionDotNet! Woo Hoo! :) What do I win? ;)


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter Five**

There are subtle reactions some fighters make prior to executing a swing. Some are involuntary, while some bad habits are developed during training. Most try to overcome them, while others have no idea the response even exists.

It may be a slight widening of the eyelids, a twitch in a neck muscle or jaw, or a clenching of a fist. It matters not whether your opponent feigns to the left or to the right, if you watch for these signs, you can read their intention.

Qui-Gon was no exception. Somewhere in his career, he had developed a tic. It was hardly noticeable, but Obi-Wan had sparred enough with his trainer to recognize it. Just before his Master would swing his sword from the left, his right eye and only his right eye would narrow. Just a fraction. That knowledge gave Obi-Wan a slight advantage, and despite Qui-Gon's extensive reach, he could easily maneuver out of the way. During today's practice, he watched for it, moved out of the way just in time by twisting his body around, delivering an elbow to the older man's stomach, and landing the flat end of the hilt to his chin.

By the time Qui-Gon recovered from the unexpected blow, Obi-Wan's sword was at his throat, aiming for a killing slash.

"Well done, Obi-Wan," Qui-Gon said, reaching up to rub the beard on his face in an effort to relieve the soreness which was quickly developing beneath it. "You're intuitions have greatly improved. You are reading me quite well."

"Thank you, Master," Obi-Wan humbly replied, wiping the sweat from his brow with a towel he kept nearby.

"But there's one thing you still lack," Qui-Gon continued, taking a break himself to retrieve a drink from a pail filled with warm water.

Obi-Wan waited patiently, even though his patience was wearing down. His next bout was in just a few hours, and if there were things he still needed to learn, what was his Master waiting for?

"Do you remember how upset Manager Gan-Na was?"

Obi-Wan nodded his head and bit his tongue. He knew what was coming and what Qui-Gon was expecting him to do, but he just couldn't. His nature wouldn't allow him to make a spectacle of himself, especially in front of a crowd of people, even though they had paid a high price to see exactly that.

"The audience expects a show," Qui-Gon continued, "and it is your responsibility to give them one. Being Soturi is more than just fighting. I know how difficult this is for you, Obi-Wan, but you need to find a way to connect with the people. If you do not, then your journey to Upea will never be complete, no matter how good of a swordsman you've become. "

"What did you do?" Obi-Wan asked. They had never spoken of Qui-Gon's days of being Soturi, but then Obi-Wan had never really come out and asked. He wasn't even sure if Qui-Gon would speak to him about it.

As the silence dragged on, Obi-Wan was about to give up and return to his drills, but Qui-Gon's face became pensive, as if were caught up in a memory, and then he began speaking:

"Before a fight began, I would display my strength by busting through a boulder or a piece of granite with the club. I would roar and reach up to the sky to reveal my strength. After the defeat, I would often follow up with another display by crushing the skull of the dead with my foot. "

Obi-Wan stared at his Master, unable to imagine him doing any such thing. Perhaps Gar-Ren had been right after all, when he'd said Qui-Gon's battles were the bloodiest anyone had ever seen.

If this was something expected of him, then perhaps he wasn't meant to be Soturi after all. Taking a life was difficult enough. During a battle, he had no choice. Only one would survive, and frankly, Obi-Wan wasn't ready to die. Not until he'd found his purpose.

And he knew for a fact, disrespecting the life and soul of any person by crushing their skull with his foot was not it.

The problem was, he didn't know what his calling was. He had spent many meditation sessions studying it, but every time, was distracted by those visions.

"I'm not telling you to follow my lead," Qui-Gon gathered his thoughts and his focus, once more turning his gaze back upon his student. "But you must find some way to win the crowd. "

"I don't understand," Obi-Wan said as he seated himself upon a roughly hewn bench in the shade outside the practice arena. "If I win the bout, what difference does it make if I win the crowd? Isn't beating your opponent what it's all about?"

"Yes and no," Qui-Gon answered, joining him on the bench, bringing out a piece of slate to sharpen Obi-Wan's blade. "Defeating your opponent is the ultimate goal, but in the process, you need to charm the host and the audience."

The silver stone sang along the edge of the blade as Qu-Gon spoke. "There may come a time when your very life is in their hands, and the decision to save you will all depend not upon your success with the sword, but with your social skills."

Great, thought Obi-Wan. He was dead already.

His dismay must have registered on his face, because suddenly, Obi-Wan was receiving a good-natured slap upon his back, and Qui-Gon's face was displaying a broad smile.

"I know exactly what you need. After tonight's battle, I'll take you down the road to a favorite spot of mine, where you can begin to develop these much-needed skills."

The next slap was on his knee, followed by a surge of energy, bringing the older man up from his seat. "Up on your feet, Obi-Wan. I want you to try that hilt-to-the-chin maneuver again. "


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter Six **

Keski Arena was slightly larger than the one in Fardu-Kur. The seating built for the crowds elevated up over the battlefield, with a criss-crossing of heavy tapestries blocking out part of the suns' rays, marking the sand with a strange pattern of shadows and light. Obi-Wan had taken a look at the grounds before performing his ritual pre-battle meditation. He would have to be mindful of the distraction the shadows may cause, as well as the the fact the audience would be practically gazing down over the top of him.

There was one good thing he had noticed, and that was in the holding area, there were benches. At least he wouldn't have to do his preparations while crouched in the sand.

Qui-Gon had wandered off some time ago in search of the Manager of the Arena, a tall, balding man by the name of Mun-Di. His Master had mentioned Mun-Di was quite intelligent, and he would have to be careful when collecting Obi-Wan's winnings, to ensure there weren't overcharged for unnecessary fees.

As always, Obi-Wan appreciated Qui-Gon's positive attitude and support, but honestly, he was somewhat concerned with today's battle. The further into the circuit he fought, the more popular he became, as did the other Soturi. They were all quickly gaining individual reputations, and the next competitor was no exception.

He was called Chu-Un the Savage, the reason being, he fought dirty. Apparently this particular Soturi would do anything and use anything to win. There were rumors Chu-Un had bitten off noses, chopped off toes and fingers of his victims before delivering a killing blow, and that was only during practice bouts. He had earned his nickname during his first battle in the far off village of Paljon, where Chu-Un had not only decapitated his opponent, but dismembered him after he was already dead. Chu-Un then stunned the crowd by tossing the body parts up into their midst. Due to his antics, the people favored Chu-Un, which only affirmed Obi-Wan's former beliefs: He had to find another way.

Already through his expeiences, Obi-Wan had determined there were basically two types of citizens who showed up at these events: those who held a true bloodlust, and those who were there purely to enjoy the sport. Obi-Wan was going to focus on the ones there in appreciation of the battle and try to ignore the rest. Perhaps, in time, he could gain their respect as well, but for now, he would do his best to let his agility and speed shine through.

The benches were shorn from rock with indentions in them for seating. It took a few maneuvers, but eventually Obi-Wan was able to find a comfortable position, crossing his legs before him and relaxing the muscles of his neck and back. Before he allowed himself to slip into a trance, he recalled how long ago these meditations had become an important part of his daily life.

The man who'd taken him out of the orphanage when he was but three years old had taught him the value of focusing inward to help him balance the outward. Through the exercise, Obi-Wan had learned patience, and self-control, and he owed it all to this man: An old, bent farmer with the biggest pair of ears Obi-Wan had ever seen on a person. The farmer walked with a limp, and had suffered some type of brain episode, which inhibited his speaking ability. Sometimes, it was difficult to understand the man's words, but when Obi-Wan did, the farmer managed to always reveal some truth or philosophy, and often it was something rather profound.

He was kind, gentle, and softspoken and if it hadn't been for his interest in Obi-Wan, there was no telling what would've become of him. The farmer died when Obi-Wan was thirteen, and he never even knew his name. He'd always just called him 'Sir'.

After the farmer's death, life became much more difficult, and if it hadn't been for his mental preparations and control which he gained through these sessions, there were a few times,Obi-Wan would've gone insane.

These times of focus were usually centered around the blessings the gods had given to him in his life or of the many beautiful things Avi-Kao contained. Though many would argue that beyond the desert heat and dust, there wasn't anything to be thankful for, Obi-Wan always managed to find something - even if it was but the intricate complexities discovered in a single grain of sand.

Lately, however, his meditations had taken a turn, and he was beginning to wonder if the visions were being delivered to him, or if he were somehow calling for them. In either case, they came to him readily, and he was using them to escape - if only for a short while - the realities of this mistaken life.

The cool breezes floated across his heated skin, the heavy dew of the forest floor seeping up through his new leather boots. The smells of the sodden ground and fresh air, and the sound of exotic birds impacted his senses. Obi-Wan breathed deeply and closed his eyes to relish the extraordinary surroundings, but then the scenery changed. No longer was he standing in the essence of tranquility, but in the middle of a massacre.

He had seen death many times, but nothing quite like what he was visualizing now. All over the stone streets before him lay bodies, obviously mutilated and no longer living. Blood ran the cracks of the stones at his feet like water seeking an outlet, and once again, the metal birds flew overheard. The stars did not appear this time, however, probably because there was nothing else to destroy. All that was once living was dead. Even the bodies steering the birds did not breathe.

It was a horrific scene, but Obi-Wan couldn't turn his eyes away. He continued to take it all in, until the scene changed yet again. This time, there were bars appearing before his eyes. A glowing fence like a brilliant blue sun's rays streaking across the horizon, and directly behind them was a face. It was her. The voice he'd been hearing. Before she even spoke, he knew it to be true.

He wanted her to talk to him, to explain what he'd seen, but she didn't say a word. Not in any language. She just stood there between himself and those glowing lines. Obi-Wan was transfixed by her dark gaze and the beautiful features of her face, the fullness of her lips, the slight mark upon her cheek.

She had told him before she needed his help, and he desperately wanted to give it to her, but suddenly he realized that wasn't the only thing he wanted. He wanted her; to hold her in his arms and drive all the danger away. But he didn't know how to reach her.

His hand stretched out, nearly touching the blue lines, wondering what it would mean if he did so, maintaining his focus on her captivating gaze, until they were separated. Suddenly and completely.

A door made of some type of heavy, dark wood slammed in front of his face, effectively blocking his vision and his view of her. Obi-Wan's first reaction was to reach out to open it, but there was no handle or opening mechanism of any kind. Confused, he stepped back, only to now see another door opened to him - this one a metal gate which revealed the Keski Arena.

The time for his next battle had arrived. In what seemed like such a short time, Obi-Wan was confused and amazed to discover three hours had passed. The crowd had already been seated and were chanting "Chu-Un!" over and over. Obi-Wan had no idea where Qui-Gon was, but he figured he was standing outside as usual waiting for it to be over.

Obi-Wan stood and he stood alone, adjusted his shoulder armor, gripped tightly onto his shield with one hand, his sword with the other, and stepped out into the weaved patterns of shadow and light, only to be immediately knocked in the side of his head by something heavy and solid.

It was customary to acknowledge the Arena Manager before beginning a battle, but apparently Chu-Un didn't hold to customs.

Obi-Wan reacted immediately, rolling his body across the sand, barely missing the hammering down of an axe, which slammed into the ground where he had just been laying.

Chu-Un must've used the back of the axe to stun him when he entered, or else he wouldn't have a head, Obi-Wan thought. He was still conscious though, which told him Chu-Un's swing wasn't that powerful.

"The Scrapper!" the young man mocked as they walked parallel, circling one another, "I pictured you much bigger."

Obi-Wan didn't respond to the taunt, but sized up his opponent quickly. He favored the axe - that much he already knew, but also, like Obi-Wan, didn't like to be weighed down by excessive armor. Chu-Un wore only shin and shoulder protection.

But that was where the resemblance ended. Chu-Un's expression was cold, much like the color of his hair. Obi-Wan had heard of rain which froze on the top of the highest mountains in the north, although he had never seen it with his own eyes. If he had, he would imagine it would be as white as the top of Chu-Un's head, which was nearly as striking as the man's eyes, which were so light blue, they were nearly the same color as his hair. Both were a stark contrast to the darkness of his skin - not nearly as dark as Ro-Du's, but a deep tan color of the southern nomads.

"Not a talker, huh?" Chu-Un continued, as he rotated his weapon round and round. "Let's just hope you can fight. These so-called Soturi are beginning to bore me."

Obi-Wan waited, watching carefully, trying to notice any slight hesitance or change in posture or gaze, but there wasn't any. Chu-Un attacked without the slightest warning, striking Obi-Wan's shield hard with his axe, bringing the point of Obi-Wan's protection down into the sand. For a few seconds, the universe paused, Chu-Un leaned in and smiled wickedly, and Obi-Wan immediately brought his shield up from the ground, planting the top edge of it firmly into his opponent's jaw.

Chu-Un staggered back, moved the joint side to side a few times and then laughed. He pounded his chest with his axe-filled fist, bringing the crowd up to its feet, and then charged in once again.

There was no rhythm or reasoning to any of Chu-Un's attacks. He fought as if he were possessed by some demon, and it was all Obi-Wan could to do block and parry the continuous swings of the axe which came at him from all angles and at an incredible speed. He managed to do so, until a particularly heavy blow split his shield across the middle.

Chu-Un backed away and seemed to be enjoying a small piece of his upcoming victory while Obi-Wan assessed his weaponry, deciding it was useless. He tossed the shield aside, inwardly declaring a new strategy.

Much to his surprise, Chu-Un did the same, although his own shield was in perfect condition.

Once again, things were even.

Metal clanged against metal as the two fought across the arena. Once in a while, Obi-Wan would see an opening, a slight hesitance on Chu-Un's part, but it closed quickly, and he had yet had a chance to strike a damaging blow to his opponent.

The suns dipped low on the horizon of Avi-Kao, changing the pattern upon the sand, and the tempo of the fight. Chu-Un was tiring. Sweat was pouring from his brow, and his mouth hung open as he gasped for air. Obi-Wan's own heart rate had tripled with the exertion, but he had far to go until he was as winded as Chu-Un seemed to be.

It was the opportunity Obi-Wan had been waiting for. He was now on the offensive, pushing Chu-Un back across the sand, his sword flying through the air, forcing the white-haired youth to bring up the heavy axe time and time again.

Obi-Wan hadn't noticed it yet, but the mood of the crowd had changed as well. No longer did they shout Chu-Un's name. They weren't even chanting "Scrapper" as they had back in Fardu-Kur, but in a slow-building crescendo, his actual name, "Obi-Wan" was being said, and then shouted in rhythmic cadence. However, Obi-Wan could not hear them. His focus was entirely on the stumbling opponent in front of him, in the way his lungs heaved with each intake of breath, and the widening of his frosty blue eyes.

Chu-Un was frightened. It wouldn't be long now.

Following a combination of swings that whipped across and back, diagonal and then upward, Chu-Un fell, his axe still in his hand, his hand firmly planted in the sand.

He breathed heavily, glaring up at Obi-Wan in disbelief. "Make it quick," he pleaded, "and give me some dignity."

"Like you've given others?"

It was the only words he'd spoken to Chu-Un, and Obi-Wan could see the impact of them in the young man's eyes. Chu-Un was worried, as he should be. There was a saying the farmer used to tell Obi-Wan that went something like: 'You get what you give.'

Chu-Un deserved no mercy. But Obi-Wan offered it anyway.

He neatly and cleanly slid the razor-sharp edge of his sword across the kneeling man's throat. Chu-Un bled out in a very short while, with a manic smile still spread across his face.


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter Seven**

By being a successful Soturi, Obi-Wan was noticing an uncomfortable level of increasing popularity and recognition wherever he and Qui-Gon went. He didn't care for it. However, the improvement in sleeping quarters was to his liking.

In Fardu-Kur, he and Qui-Gon had slept on a packed earth floor covered with thin woven blankets. In Pentari, the rooms set aside for Soturi fighters and their managers still only offered pallets upon the floor, though the bedding was greatly improved, and they each had a private room.

Pentari boasted several inns, a butcher shop, ironsmith, open market, as well as the battling arena just outside of town. A man by the name of Kes-Ki was apparently the founder of the village; the first Pentarian Soturi to win the Grand Soturi Battle and gain citizenship to Upea. The Keski Arena was named after him.

It was at the inn furthest from the arena where Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan settled for the night. There was one more battle in Pentari before they would move onto the third round: The team bouts at Nu-Pea. Once they had arrived, Qui-Gon would be notified who had been assigned to Obi-Wan as a partner. They would have one day to become accustomed to one another's fighting styles, and then be flung out together into the arena to work as a team.

Obi-Wan got nervous just thinking about it. He wasn't sure he liked the idea of having to fight in sync with another, or to be forced to rely upon a stranger. How would he know when to move? When to feign? When to strike, and when to back off?

He had a lot to think about, and it was those thoughts, which kept Obi-Wan from sleeping as he stared up at the inn's cracked ceiling. Loud voices floating in from the nearby bar didn't make things better. A solid door would at least help muffle the noise, but all that stood between him and the long hallway leading to the tavern was a single woven cloth hanging from a rod.

A cloth, which was abruptly swept back by large hand belonging to none other than his Master.

"Obi-Wan, are you sleeping?"

"Not yet," the young man answered, placing an arm behind his head to improve his angle of sight.

Qui-Gon smiled, though did not enter, his head the only thing which was protruding through the drape. "Good," he replied before pushing the cloth back further. "Because I have a surprise for you. Do you recall our conversation about your…modesty with the crowd?"

Obi-Wan suddenly had a bad feeling about where this conversation was headed. "Yes," he answered with growing alarm as Qui-Gon ushered in a female. She was petite in stature, with a slim build and small breasts. Her eyes were big and brown, and her hair hung in long braids down her front and back. She was tan from the desert suns, but not a dark-skin. Her lips were full and pink, and she wore a simple silky tunic, the hem of which was decorated with colorful stitching.

"This is Pad-Me," Qu-Gon introduced the young woman, whose dark eyebrow raised in amusement when Obi-Wan scrambled about to find his clothing.

"She works here at the inn and will be your companion for the night," Qui-Gon explained, equally befuddled at Obi-Wan's rather uncoordinated attempts to cover himself.

"Master, that's all right," Obi-Wan pleaded as he fumbled about with his loin wrap, before giving up entirely and grabbing his woolen cloak from a nearby chair instead. "I was just about to go to sleep, and tomorrow's an important day…"

"I insist, Obi-Wan," Qui-Gon told him with a wink just before he left, allowing the heavy red drape to fall back across the doorway.

"I watched you in the arena today," the young woman said while Obi-Wan's mind raced, and his ears burned. He could feel the blood rushing to his face and wondered if the small amount of light the single candle let off would reveal his blush. "Chu-Un is a monster. I'm glad you beat him."

"So am I," Obi-Wan said back, immediately disappointed with his choice of words. He hated small talk! Especially with a woman! Why had his Master done this to him? Why would Qui-Gon think a single night with a prostitute was going to change him? To make him more outgoing or outspoken? What was he thinking?

"If you don't mind, can I take a seat? It's been a long day."

"Of course," Obi-Wan pulled out one of the two chairs at the small table between the pallet and the rock wall. He re-adjusted his cloak about his middle and seated himself in the other, on the opposite side of her. The flickering light played with her image, and Obi-Wan took a better look at her this time, amazed to discover she looked remarkably like the woman from his vision, though her skin was a little darker.

"Would you care for a drink?" Obi-Wan picked up the tall flask from the table. "It's wine and not that bad," he explained, offering it to her.

"No, thank you," Pad-Me replied kindly, "I've had enough for tonight."

The silence between them was turning awkward, Obi-Wan's attention drawn entirely to tracing the mosaics on the tabletop. He nearly jumped out of his skin when the young woman reached across and began tracing something as well – a scar, which ran the length of the underside of his arm.

Her hand was as light a moth fluttering across his skin, but as effective as a burning torch, shooting fire up his extremity and raising bumps of chilled flesh along the other at the same time.

"Did this come from a battle?" she asked, her voice nearly as soft as her caress.

It took a moment for Obi-Wan to find his own voice, and he had to clear his throat before speaking. What was the matter with him?

"No, I've never been injured during a battle," he explained. "I got that when I fell down the side of the…" he stopped short of finishing his explanation. How would she react if she discovered he'd once worked as a slave in The Pit? That for twelve years of his life, he'd been lowered into a hole and forced to dig for sixteen hours a day?

On second thought, why should he care what she knew about him? She was nothing but a whore, hired by his Master to keep him company and bring him out of his shell.

"I fell," he began once again, although his mind refused to finish the story. He wasn't sure why.

Obi-Wan's answer seemed to satisfy his guest, and she smiled sweetly at him, the simple gesture causing the most delightful tremors somewhere deep down in his stomach.

Her fingers continued to trace the mark back down to his wrist, where she began to lightly paint his palm and fingers with touch. "It's difficult to imagine these hands are deadly weapons. I wouldn't believe it if I hadn't seen it myself," she commented, smiling up at him, her eyes glittering in the candlelight. "You fight with such patience and maturity, Obi-Wan," she continued, her caress moving back up to the hypersensitive part of his inner arm. "I've never seen a Soturi quite like you."

"I owe it all to Qui-Gon," Obi-Wan managed, his voice coming out more like the squeak of a rodat.

"Handsome and humble too," Pad-Me replied, boldly moving her chair closer and leaning dangerously near him, her caress never ceasing. The battles in the arena didn't make him this nervous! "You are a wonder," Pad-Me continued, her soft voice dropping low, her eyelids narrowing, her lips pouting.

And beneath the cloak covering Obi-Wan's lap, his reaction was obvious. Obi-Wan could not deny how much he was attracted to Pad-Me, although he was unsure if it was because of her familiar looks, or simply because he had never been touched by a woman this way.

During his years as a slaveworker, he had stayed in the shadows and watched others coupling, but never had anyone approached him to offer what Pad-Me was apparently offering him this evening.

"I," Obi-Wan stammered, embarrassment once again coloring his face, "I haven't yet slept with a woman."

Her eyes widened, and a smile of mirth lifted her mouth, though she did not laugh. "Almost too good to be true," she whispered before placing her hands around his face and placing her mouth upon him in a kiss.

Obi-Wan sat rigidly still as Pad-Me moved against him, her lips brushing across his as gently as her caress had earlier. When he felt the moist tip of her tongue brush across him, Obi-Wan retreated in shock, but complied with the gentle pull of her hands and leaned forward once again.

This time, he did not recoil when he felt the wet warmth slide across his mouth, and actually responded in kind, touching her with his own tongue; tentatively at first and then more confidently as the kiss continued. Suddenly, before Obi-Wan was actually aware of what had happened, she had drawn him fully inside, where she suckled, toyed, and intertwined his tongue with her own, causing his head to become as light as if he had drank the entire flask of wine all by himself.

She pulled back, leaving Obi-Wan's mouth hanging open, her pupils dilated with desire, her bosom heaving. She then surprised him once again by coming out of her seat and straddling his lap. In the process, the cloak that had been around his waist had slipped to the floor, though Obi-Wan barely noticed. He was much more interested in the enticing way her tongue was tracing his teeth before it was removed entirely and relocated to his earlobe, while her voice began seductively whispering in his ear.

"I wanted you from the moment I saw you enter the arena," she told him, her hands moving from his face to his corded neck, then down across the muscles of his chest.

Obi-Wan felt like he was floating…no, flying across the plains. Her voice had an ethereal quality to it, and for a moment, he thought he might possibly be dreaming, or experiencing another vision. But when her hands grasped the hardened bundle of nerves and need between his legs, Obi-Wan's eyes flew open and he boldly looked Pad-Me in the face, squaring his jaw confidently.

"That's it," she encouraged him while her small hand worked the length of him. "Let me have the warrior. I need you inside me, Obi-Wan. You don't know how much."

Obi-Wan did know. He understood perfectly. A charging rankor couldn't keep him from being with Pad-Me, from thrusting up into her, easing the desperate ache inside his belly.

He placed his hands about her thin arms and lifted her body up slightly as she guided him in - into a place Obi-Wan discovered was as hot as the suns on the midday sands.

When she began to move, the answers came. As drunk as he felt, his path became clear, and Obi-Wan could see things as he never had before.

This was the mistake in his life. This was what was missing. The old farmer had hinted about it, Qui-Gon had teased him about it, but Obi-Wan had never completely understood. Until now.

And it wasn't sex. It was this type of closeness he'd been missing, this level of intimacy with another human being he wanted. No, needed. This physical act was simply the benefit from such a relationship.

This realization, however, brought a measure of sadness to his newfound joy. He was not going to find such intimacy with this girl. She was nothing but a prostitute, who gave herself freely to anyone who would pay.

Obi-Wan knew, however, the right one was out there. Somewhere. He would find her someday soon, but for now, he would enjoy this moment and be grateful Pad-Me had helped him discover this sudden insight.

Apparently finding the tunic restricting, the young woman whisked the material over her head, exposing her breasts to Obi-Wan's gaze. She smiled before curling upon him like a tuskat, pressing her flesh into chest before drawing up his hands, which had been gripping firmly onto the chair. Pad-Me placed both of them over her small breasts and mimicked the movement she desired. Obi-Wan responded, massaging the mounds of flesh as Pad-Me added more leverage to her movements by gripping onto his shoulders.

Her inner muscles squeezed him between the up and down motions of her body, and Obi-Wan could feel responding subtle tremors along his length. It wouldn't be long now. If she would only slow down, this might last longer.

But she didn't slow down. In fact, her body's movements increased in tempo, prompting Obi-Wan to support her aggression with a firm grip on her buttocks. He physically lifted her up with each thrusting, literally allowing her drop back down onto his lap, sending his erection deeply inside.

The edges of any control he had were beginning to fray, Obi-Wan's movements becoming frantic and erratic. She grunted with each fall, and he with each thrust, until their moans became shouts, with Obi-Wan releasing all his inhibitions deeply inside Pad-Me, her womb welcoming and accepting his seed greedily.

She fell forward when the tremors had ceased, her damp hair sticking to his chest, his erection softening inside of her.

"I knew you'd be great," she professed quietly, causing Obi-Wan to chuckle with disbelief.

"I'm serious," she confirmed, lifting her head. "I'm glad you let me come in. Would you mind if I spend the night?"

Obi-Wan's brows rose in suspicion with the suggestion, but on second thought, he couldn't see why not. It would be nice to have a soft, warm body to sleep with, and a beautiful face to wake up to. Much better than Qui-Gon's bearded one. The thought made him want to find his future mate all the more quickly.

Obi-Wan fell asleep with the beautiful stranger in his arms, his only regret being that he wished she'd been someone else: Anyone other than a prostitute.


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter Eight**

The small, solitary window in the rented room was big enough to allow the early morning suns' light to quickly raise the temperature, awakening the occupants inside. Obi-Wan roused before Pad-Me, taking the opportunity to gaze upon her flawless complexion and long lashes. It was too bad. If she worked any other occupation, he might pursue her. There were things he wanted in this life, and she could've been the one to share them with.

As regrettable as it was, they simply weren't destined to be together. At least he got to enjoy some time with her along the way.

The lashes he had been admiring began fluttering before her dark eyes opened, and the arm draped across his chest lifted and stretched out. Pad-Me groaned as the rest of her slim body followed, curling into his side.

"Mm," she spoke lightly into his ear. "It's going to get too hot in here soon. We'd better get moving."

Obi-Wan had to agree. Already, wherever their bodies were touching, was becoming damp and sticky with sweat.

Pad-Me lifted herself up on one elbow and gazed down at him, smiling lazily, before lowering her lips to his, presenting him a quick, chaste kiss. "Thank you for last night," she told him. "Maybe I'll see you around."

"Maybe." Obi-Wan's voice was roughened by sleep and just a trace of disappointment, but he managed to return her smile before she rose from the pallet, slipped the tunic back over her head, picked up her sandals and disappeared through the heavy, red drape, without looking back.

He waited a moment to make sure she'd gone, slipped the loin wrap around his groin and peered through the curtain. Just as Qui-Gon had mentioned, there was a pitcher of water and sponge sitting outside the doorway for his use. He brought them both back inside and used them to wash away the remnants of his evening with Pad-Me, determining that along with the sand, sweat, and dried semen, he was washing away the memory of her as well.

It was a nice thought, which lasted an entire two seku, because as soon as Obi-Wan dressed and dusted off his cloak, he recalled his embarrassed attempts at hiding his erection from her with it.

Why had Qui-Gon done this? What good could come from these constant thoughts of her beside him, or of him inside her? They could only prove to be a distraction, to hamper his concentration in the arena.

Since he had always felt free to speak openly with his Master, Obi-Wan decided the best way to find the answers to his questions would be to ask Qui-Gon himself.

He finished dressing, dumped out the dirty water onto the floor, grabbed his sword and scabbard and went to find the man.

After a few vain attempts, he discovered his Master in the fifth room down the hall.

"Qui-Gon?" Obi-Wan called out upon leaning his head through the drape, able to make out the silhouette of his Master's long, lean body still lying prone and quite still on the pallet. In this particular room, there was no window to let in the morning light, and the temperature was still quite tolerable, though the room rather dark.

Obi-Wan walked to the square table and lit the candle to brighten the space, immediately stepping back in surprise when a voice called out to him - a voice not belonging to his Master.

"What are you doing?" the woman curled around the other side of Qui-Gon asked, her pale eyes conveying her irritation.

Her voice had obviously awakened Qui-Gon, who stirred and turned to look at him as well.

"Ah, Obi-Wan. Good morning. Is it morning already?"

"Yes, Master," Obi-Wan replied, averting his eyes while Qui-Gon adjusted the thin blanket over both nude bodies as he turned to face his Soturi.

"Was there something you needed?"

He should leave now and give them some privacy, but he wanted to know what the point of last evening's actions was, and so Obi-Wan decided to stay. "I just needed to ask you something," he responded as he continued to gaze at the far wall.

"Very well. Give me a moment," his Master told him before returning his attention to his bedmate.

Indecision warred inside Obi-Wan's mind, but curiosity got the better of him, and he stayed to listen to what his Master would tell the young woman.

"As always, it's been a pleasure, Adi," his low voice purred. "When I pass through this territory again, I shall definitely request your company."

"You'd better," Obi-Wan heard the woman reply, followed by the obvious sounds of kissing.

When the bedding rustled, however, Obi-Wan gathered his senses and excused himself from the room, allowing Qui-Gon's guest the chance to dress without worrying about a stranger seeing her nakedness.

But when he saw her emerge through the drape, he couldn't help notice she wasn't dressed at all, but had merely picked up the light blanket from the pallet and basically wrapped it around her torso.

As she passed Obi-Wan, she stopped, her blue eyes scanning him from head to toe. "I usually prefer the tall ones," she noted, flipping her long black hair over her dark-skinned shoulder, "but you'll do. Before you leave Pentari, do come see me. Just ask for Adi-Gal in the tavern. They'll know where to find me."

She was a prostitute too?

Though not nearly as attractive as Pad-Me, his Master had good taste in whores. The thought brought a smirk to the young man's face; one which was quickly wiped away by a firm kiss planted on his mouth. Silently, Obi-Wan watched the sway of Adi's full hips as she disappeared down the hall.

When Obi-Wan returned to Qui-Gon's room, the older man had already dressed and was plaiting his long hair.

"What brought you in here so early?" he asked, his fingers moving swiftly as it created the braid which lay down one side of his chest.

"That girl, Adi-Gal. Does she work here?" Obi-Wan asked,preferring this morning to get right to the point. He wasn't in the mood for banter.

"Yes," Qui-Gon immediately answered without hesitation or further explanation.

The man could be so frustrating at times! "So, she works with Pad-Me, the girl you brought to me last night?" Obi-Wan prompted, trying his best not to be so blunt as to call her what she is.

"Yes and no," Qui-Gon answered, finishing off the braid and pouring himself a drink, which he sipped on before continuing. "When I met Pad-Me, I didn't realize she worked at the tavern."

Obi-Wan was getting confused. "Where did you meet her?"

"At the arena following your defeat of Chu-Un. She's quite the fan, insisted upon meeting you in per..."

"Hold on," Obi-Wan interrupted, while trying to gather his scattered and conflicting thoughts, "you didn't hire her?"

Qui-Gon placed the goblet down on the table, his hands coming to his hips in a display of astonishment. "Of course not! I wouldn't want your first time to be with someone of such...experience. A woman like Adi, for example, would eat a virgin like yourself for breakfast and dinner."

At the mention of her name, Qui-Gon's face grew wistful, his fingers scraping through his beard. "She's a powerful and rather creative woman, that Adi. I may be sore in a couple of significant places by this afternoon."

"Master, please!" Obi-Wan pleaded, his hands slamming down onto the tabletop. "Are you telling me, Pad-Me is not a prostitute?"

"I'm telling you she's a barmaid who works here at the tavern." Qui-Gon answered firmly. "She wanted to meet you, and I didn't see any harm in it, so I introduced you. Did I do something wrong?"

She wasn't a prostitute after all! That meant she could be the one he was searching for!

"No, nothing's wrong, Master, but I've got to go!"

Obi-Wan bolted from the room, making it nearly halfway down the hall before Qui-Gon's voice stopped him in his tracks.

"Where do you think you're going?" The older man had entered into the hallway, but moved no further, causing Obi-Wan to have to double-back.

He didn't have time for all this! He had to find Pad-Me now before something happened and he hadn't had a chance to explain himself, how he felt, what he dreamed of...

"We made love last night," he quickly began, once again aiming directly for the subject's target, not wanting to waste a single precious moment. "I thought all along she was a prostitute and treated her rather coldly. I would like to see her again, perhaps indefinitely, but I need to tell her before she gets away!"

As Obi-Wan explained, a small smile had lifted the corner of Qui-Gon's mouth, aggravating the young man to no end.

"You don't need to rush off," Qui-Gon explained, placing a heavy hand upon Obi-Wan's shoulder. "I'm sure she'll be at today's battle. You'll see her then, and get a chance to explain how you feel. She seemed truly interested in you as well, my Soturi. I had a feeling about her. Patience is all you require."

"Besides," Qui-Gon continued, turning to head back toward his room, "we have to study your opponent for this afternoon – a tribesman by the name of Ma-Ul. I'll meet you in the lobby in thirty kirja."


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter Nine**

Ma-Ul appeared quite formidable. He and Qui-Gon spied on the Soturi while he was practicing his maneuvers in the empty arena later that morning. He was a stocky built man, much like Obi-Wan, but all over his ruddy skin were marks of his tribe: permanent black etchings, which covered literally every uma of his compact, muscular body. Even the top of his shaved head was marked, in the language and symbols of his clan.

He was practicing with a long Leski sword, his to and fro swings sweeping through the sand on each passing.

There were already citizens seated in the arena, nearly four tunti before the prebattle entertainment. Obi-Wan and Qui-Gon sat near the top of the arena in the shadows just beneath the crossing tapestries.

"His moves are very fluent, Master," Obi-Wan observed, "and fast," he added when Ma-Ul's swings sped up substantially.

"No quicker than Chu-Un's," Qui-Gon argued, "or yours," he added with a grin. "Look at the way he drops his right shoulder."

Obi-Wan had already noticed, although he hadn't mentioned it.

"He's left-handed. You'll have to adjust your stance," Qui-Gon clarified, to which Obi-Wan silently agreed, mentally picturing his position opposite the fierce-looking warrior.

"And note the scars on his right arm. That indicates a weak defense on that side, perhaps an over-correction or a fault in his training. "

Obi-Wan made note of his Master's comments, though occasionally his focus would leave the fighter and wander up into the crowd. He wondered if Pad-Me would be present today, and if so, where would she be sitting? Would she come alone? Or would she arrive with friends? Would he have to find her after the battle, or would she come to him?

If he were alive after the battle, that is. Who was he to predict the future? He was no mystic. The Fates may have other plans. This may be his final fight, and despite Qui-Gon's confidence, they may never enter the gates of Upea. Obi-Wan hoped they would. Qui-Gon seemed to have his heart set on it. To accomplish that, though, perhaps Obi-Wan should focus.

"Watch, Obi-Wan. Watch this. " Qui-Gon regained his attention by pointing at the warrior who abruptly sprung up from the ground and performed a fantastic aerial maneuver, complete with a full twist and flip in the air. Ma-Ul landed squarely on his feet, sword ready, a bold confidence expressed in his sneer. Qui-Gon's smile, however, indicated the foe's confidence was gravely misplaced.

Obi-Wan knew what he had to do and at what point he needed to do it. He just hoped he managed to survive until its arrival.

At two tunti before the battle, Obi-Wan took his place on the carved stone bench in the waiting area on the outer circle of the arena. He pulled his legs up into a squatting position and then relaxed his neck and shoulders. But when he closed his eyes and began to pull his thoughts inward – nothing happened. For the first time in many years, the visions did not come and her face did not appear.

Obi-Wan tried many times to access the gap which bridged his reality to what he had always assumed was his destiny, only to be denied. It was as if the young woman had given up on him.

Or worse. What if something had happened to her? What if the destruction he had been witnessing had finally swept her away with it?

The thought was frightening and left Obi-Wan with a profound sense of loss.

But then his thoughts turned elsewhere; to a young woman of her resemblance. A young woman of flesh and blood, not some fantastic hallucination or passing dream.

Pad-Me was real. He had held her in his arms, felt her heat and filled her with his seed.

This other woman. This one who asked for his help: He didn't know her. He didn't even know how to assist her.

His decision was made. Obi-Wan would focus on the real. This, he could touch. This, he could taste. Perhaps the lack of vision today was the gods telling him it was time to let her go. Pad-Me was perhaps in the audience right now, watching him, waiting for him. He would find her and then claim her for his own.

But first, he had to rid himself of the painted obstacle now entering the arena.

The crowd began chanting "Ma-Ul", with an emphasis on the "Ul," dragging out the vowel to imitate the cry of a wild susik. Obi-Wan wasn't intimidated by the crowd. His own entrance heralded a loud shout of "Obi-Wan" with an emphasis on the first two syllables, and he humbly acknowledged their cheers with a wave.

Ma-Ul on the other hand was the opposite of what Obi-Wan would call humble. He howled and barked at the audience, who responded in kind. Apparently, he had a following, and was making the most of their response.

Only the various markings on the front of his chest showed at the moment. The top of his head and back were covered with the skin of a lohika, with its many horns protruding out of a skull, which Ma-Ul wore as a helmet.

Obi-Wan patiently waited as the display continued, but once Ma-Ul's ego had obviously been satisfied, he shrugged off the carcass and turned to the Manager's section. Obi-Wan did the same, bowing out of respect towards Mun-Di, noticing right away Pad-Me sat very near him. Not in the owner's section exactly, but close to it. She smiled at his recognition and he smiled back, momentarily swept away by the memory of the same type of smile hovering over him as their bodies pressed together that very morning.

Obi-Wan's fond reminiscing almost cost him his life. It had been nearly too late to react when Ma-Ul's sword came crashing down upon him.

Curse the distraction! Obi-Wan immediately scolded himself, focusing on the fierce-looking warrior who stalked him like he was prey.

The sword Ma-Ul had chosen for this battle was unlike the one Obi-Wan had watched him use in practice. This one appeared much heavier and thicker, almost as if they were two swords melded together, when in fact, that's exactly what they were.

Upon Obi-Wan's notice of the unusual weaponry, Ma-Ul gleamed, his decayed and rotting teeth revealed in his sneer as he twisted the handle of the sword, separating it into two separate pieces, both of which were swung at Obi-Wan's head.

Obi-Wan parried the maneuvers fairly easily, watching for the left preference, but seeing how Ma-Ul now swung two swords at him at once, it was difficult to find an opening.

Obi-Wan did however, finally. Once.

Just as one of Ma-Ul's arm was raising a sword high, the other swung to the side to counter, leaving Ma-Ul's chest exposed. The mistake lasted but a seku, but it was enough time to strike a blow against Ma-Ul's right upper arm.

The warrior hissed with pain and aggravation, only stepping back a single foot before coming at Obi-Wan again; this time with much more aggression.

In the eastern part of Avi-Kao, near Tembro, where Qui-Gon was from, Obi-Wan had heard tales of erections built from steel which spun round, capturing the desert wind on its sails. Beneath the tower was a pipe, which drilled deep into the sand, occasionally gushing up the clear waters which ran far beneath the surface. They were called tulimyl, and although he'd never seen one, Obi-Wan had always wanted to. What he wouldn't have given to had one when he was growing up. It would've made his job in The Pit much easier.

If ever he had seen one, Obi-Wan imagined its blades would appear as Ma-Ul's swords, rotating round and round, side to side, obviously intended to obliterate anything which got in their path. Obi-Wan stayed out the swirling swords' way, focusing upon Ma-Ul's hands instead of the swinging blades.

When the dizzying motion abruptly changed course, Obi-Wan seized the moment and executed a stabbing maneuver, not typically recommended for swordplay, interrupting Ma-Ul's motions and injuring one of his hands in the process.

The warrior howled, dropping one of the swords onto the sand, at which time, Obi-Wan leapt forward, attacking with fervor. He backed the marked man toward one wall steadily, confident he was gaining ground, only to lose it when a voice – a female voice, quite loudly and clearly screamed out at him. Stunned at the nearness of it, Obi-Wan stumbled, smacking his sword against the wall instead.

He recognized that voice. He'd been hearing it for some time. It was the woman. The one from his visions. She was still here with him, but now was not the time!

Ma-Ul took advantage of Obi-Wan's distraction and pushed himself away from the wall, twisting his body round at the same time. It was now Obi-Wan at the disadvantage – in more ways than one. Not only was the voice back, but he could hear accompanying sobs along with it, and could see tears of anguish rolling down a beautiful face, which faded in and out of view.

He tried to ignore it, but the distracting combination of sight and sound were too much to bear.

It was then, Ma-Ul acted and pinned him to the wall, the tip of the warrior's blade piercing Obi-Wan's left shoulder. The pain was searing, white hot, radiating from bone through muscle. The rotted teeth were on display again, the equally foul breath sucked up Obi-Wan's nostrils.

There were limited options, but Obi-Wan realized Ma-Ul would have to withdraw his sword to strike another blow. It would give him the opportunity to spin away or roll to the sand. Either maneuver would work, if it wasn't for the unforseen.

Obi-Wan hadn't counted on the dagger his opponent had hidden in his leathers. Only the glint of the suns upon its hilt gave it away.

With his one free arm, Obi-Wan blocked the incoming jab, dropping his sword in the process. He strained mightily, holding off the small blade which hovered near his throat. The tip of the blade actually came in contact with his skin, before Obi-Wan managed to outmaneuver Ma-Ul by turning his head and bringing up his elbow, which changed the angle of the blade, its trajectory now aimed directly at Ma-Ul's chest.

The dagger skimmed the muscle of the opponent's right side, though deeply enough to allow Obi-Wan the chance to remove the sword impaled in his shoulder. He gave a great shout when the blade slid free, but charged straight forward regardless of the pain, adrenaline now adding speed to his limbs.

Now defenseless, Ma-Ul backed away from the swinging movements of his own sword, his neck flexing, his knees bending in a defensive posture.

It was coming, and Obi-Wan prepared for it. Ma-Ul had no choice. His other weapon lay on the other side of the arena, and Obi-Wan's own was discarded against the wall. Between both and Ma-Ul, was a stinging sword in the hands of a skilled Soturi.

The springing jump wasn't nearly as high as the one Obi-Wan had witnessed in practice, but the opportunity was just as great.

It was a fool's desperate decision. Obi-Wan had only tried it once during his training, but Qui-Gon had taught him a quick and painful lesson: You can't maneuver in mid air.

As neatly as if slicing a loaf of bread, Obi-Wan's sword cut through Ma-Ul's middle just as the warrior spun over his head.

The marked tribesman landed on the sand behind him in two pieces; a top and bottom.

And the crowd went wild.


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter Ten**

There was someone waiting for him after the battle, and it wasn't Pad-Me. Obi-Wan walked toward her slowly, noting that although the two women had the same build; both being thin and petite, this one's appearance was vastly different.

The old farmer had once tried to explain to Obi-Wan that outside of his small corner of the world, there was much to see and much to do; that one day, Obi-Wan would have the chance to experience these things. He'd meet different types of people, see lands and villages he'd never expected to.

Obi-Wan wasn't sure how the farmer knew these things, but so far, his foretelling had been accurate.

The woman was obviously from the northern Vaaela tribe. Obi-Wan could tell from the color of her skin, although not much of it showed. She was wrapped in a rich, dark red cloak, the hood of which was drawn over her head.

Upon Obi-Wan's approach, however, the hood was drawn back, confirming Obi-Wan's initial suspicion about her. Definitely Vaaelan, with her white skin, black eyes, and hairless scalp.

He'd heard the Vaaelans avoided sunlight, that their delicate skin couldn't take the heat of the Avi-Kao suns, but apparently that didn't stop this particular one from coming to the arena on this blistering hot day.

She smiled in his direction and stuck her velvet-gloved hand out in greeting. Obi-Wan accepted it without hesitation, although he was unsure what she wanted.

Qu-Gon had warned him the closer he got to Upea, the more popular he would become, especially with the women. Apparently, it was the solitary goal of some of them to bed a Soturi. These types of females were usually wealthy, intelligent women, who had at some point, gotten bored with their lives and were looking for excitement.

Obi-Wan hated to disappoint her. Although she wasn't bad looking, she simply wasn't his type.

"You are Obi-Wan," she said when he grasped her nimble fingers. "Soturi to Qui-Gon."

"I am," Obi-Wan replied, wearing a curious expression. "You have me at a disadvantage. You are..?"

"My name isn't important – not nearly as important as what I can do for you, darling."

Uh, oh. Here it comes, thought Obi-Wan. An offer he could not refuse. He wondered what particular talents she may have to tempt him, but quickly excused the distraction. He simply had no interest to be with anyone other than Pad-Me.

Obi-Wan's eyes glanced above the bald head to search for her, but Pad-Me was nowhere to be seen. Instead, he saw Qui-Gon in the distance, who appeared to be having a rather heated argument with the arena owner, Mun-Di.

"And what is that?" he decided to play along, trying his best not to sound totally disinterested, though desperately wanting to get away.

"Something beyond your wildest dreams," the pale-skinned woman purred, her gloved fingers boldly stroking the side of his face.

Obi-Wan eyed her cynically, completely unaffected by her touch. "I'm sure you're quite good at what you do," he told her with a slightly patronizing tone.

"Oh, I am," she agreed, her almond-shaped eyes gazing intensely at his face.

"I'm sorry, I'm just not interested. You see, my heart belongs to someone else, and well..." Obi-Wan tried to explain in the most polite way possible. "I'm old fashioned. I can only manage to love one woman at a time."

The red lips curled into a feral smile before a slight chuckle issued from the woman's mouth. "You are a gem in the desert sand, Obi-Wan. I'm not offering a night of pleasure…rather, a gift of much greater value."

Now, he was really confused.

Time to get to the point and clear things up. "What do you want?"

The smile changed to something more predatory. "Why, to free you! To offer you a chance to pursue your dreams, to rid yourself of the shackles of the Soturi."

Wait. Was this woman crazy? "I am free," Obi-Wan argued.

"Are you? " she asked, taking his arm as they strode through the waiting area, past the carved benches and through the mingling crowd on their way out. "Do you truly believe you can come and go as you please? You are still a slave, Obi-Wan, whether you realize it or not, although the chains which bind you aren't golden. They are the same as the ones which held you when you worked in The Pit."

How did she know about that? "Who are you?" Obi-Wan demanded.

"I am your savior," she said as if she truly believed that. "I hold the key to more wealth and power than you could ever imagine. Come with me, and you will have all you ever dreamed of."

"I have everything I need," Obi-Wan argued, his dislike of this woman growing by the kirja.

"Do you?" she asked, stopping him just beyond the arena gate. "No," she answered before he had the opportunity to do so himself, "because Qui-Gon keeps that from you."

"I receive an allowance," Obi-Wan retorted. "Qui-Gon takes care of all my other needs."

"You mean, he receives all your reward. Don't be a fool, Obi-Wan. Qui-Gon's only motivation is to please himself. He could care less about you." As the woman spoke, her black eyes danced to Obi-Wan's left, and he as well, could tell someone was approaching.

"Ask him sometime," she said quietly, "why he wants to return to Upea. I think you will be surprised by the answer."

The white-faced woman walked away and Obi-Wan turned to watch her leave, noting the figure approaching was none other than his Master. The two stopped, eyeing one another as if they were meeting on the battlefield.

"Asa-Ven," Qui-Gon announced, his distaste of the name written on his face.

"Qui-Gon," the woman replied in like manner before lifting her hood and walking quickly back out into the sunlight.

His Master didn't offer a single explanation or ask any questions, immediately inspecting Obi-Wan's wound.

"This requires stitching," he noted, his brows furrowed in concentration, which Obi-Wan believed had nothing to do with the severity of his injury.

"I'll take care of that."

The offer came from behind Qui-Gon, in a small, sweet voice Obi-Wan immediately recognized.

Without argument, his Master backed away and allowed Pad-Me to step forward. In her hands she held a wet cloth, which she applied directly to the bleeding stab wound. Obi-Wan hissed in discomfort, although he was quite pleased to see her.

"Let's get you someplace where you can relax and I can clean this properly," she suggested. Obi-Wan followed her, imagining he would continue to do so for as long as she allowed it.

She led him to a room she had rented in tavern on the opposite side of the street where he and Qui-Gon were staying. The building wasn't quite as nice as the other, but, Obi-Wan figured rented rooms were difficult to find during the Soturi season.

"Sit here," Pad-Me directed him to a chair next to a built-in platform, which jutted out from beneath the window and then left the room. She returned a few moments later, carrying cloth wrappings and a bowl, which was filled with some type of plant material. Obi-Wan watched silently as Pad-Me poured some of the water into the bowl and began stirring it with her fingers, mashing and pinching the aromatic leaves as she did so.

When the concoction was nothing more than a gelatinous glob, she scooped it up in her fingers and began packing it into his wound.

"What is that stuff?" Obi-Wan complained, once the pungent odor had found its way to his nostrils.

"Alkio tapaja," Pad-Me explained. "It will keep this injury from becoming infected."

"It's rank," Obi-Wan pointed out, his face pinching in disgust.

"Let me put it this way," Pad-Me responded flatly, picking up the cloth which she began wrapping around his shoulder. "You can get used to the smell or you can lose your arm. Which is it going to be?"

Not only beautiful, but strong-willed, compassionate, and gentle as well. Was it possible to fall in love with someone so quickly?

"I'll tolerate the nausea," Obi-Wan dryly teased, his words lifting the corners of Pad-Me's mouth, which was painted pink again today, although her long tunic was purple – the shade of the desert sky once the suns had drifted behind the dunes. Where the material joined at her neck was a pin with a single amber jewel in its center, not nearly as dark as her eyes, but just as lovely to look at. Her hair was plaited across her scalp, but the ends were left loose, and hung freely down over her bosom. While she worked, Obi-Wan couldn't resist reaching out and feeling the softness of the curls, his hand drifting along the swell of her breast ever so lightly.

In response, Padme's smile turned sultry, and when she finished with the bandage, she leaned forward and kissed him; gently at first, then with more strength, her lips prying his mouth open, the moist tip of her tongue seeking entrance. Obi-Wan gladly welcomed her in, twirling his hot flesh against her own, his hand back at her breast, where he found the nipple taut and peaked. He teased the point with his fingers, drawing a low moan out of Pad-Me.

She pulled away from the kiss, her own hands busying themselves with the loosening of his leathers. "Sit still or you'll disturb the poultice," she warned, before kneeling down before him and drawing his erection out.

Obi-Wan's breath hitched when those pink lips surrounded him and then began stroking him slowly but powerfully. Never had he imagined anything could feel this good. The heat, the pressure, the wetness, all threatened to bring him quickly to climax, until her hand found a certain place behind his testicles and pressed in just so. He didn't know where she learned to do that, wasn't about to ask, but it had worked, and had taken enough of the edge off, where Obi-Wan could at least begin to breathe again.

"Don't move," she scolded him gently, "and don't you dare come."

With her hand still pressed into that particular spot, Pad-Me began a thorough study of his groin with her mouth and tongue, applying kisses, licks, and bite marks in a variety of places, occasionally focusing her attention back on the part of him which needed her most.

When she took him all the way in – a feat he'd thought impossible – Obi-Wan could no longer sit still. His back arched off the chair, pushing himself even further in, until he could feel the back of her throat against the tip.

In response, she pushed back with her free hand pressed against his stomach, released him with a smack of her lips and then caught her breath before ravaging him without mercy.

Without her supporting hand against his abdomen, Obi-Wan would've slid from the chair and onto the floor. He was dizzy with passion, unaware of anything but the moist heat and friction surrounding him, and the longer she held off the inevitable, the worse it got.

Until finally, she allowed him blissful release, and the world exploded into a million pieces of light.


	11. Chapter 11

**Chapter Eleven **

Pad-Me had a fascination with his hands - or at least the one he could lift. She'd been studying it for at least half a tunti as they lay together in her room awaiting the dawn.

"The suns will rise soon," she quietly noted, drawing Obi-Wan's gaze to the high window, where the night sky was just beginning to lighten. "When are you heading for Nu-Pea?"

Nu-Pea: The next stop on the Soturi circuit. Obi-Wan didn't want to think about it - not that he wasn't prepared to fight, but he didn't want to leave Pad-Me quite so soon. Was it unreasonable for him to ask her to go? What about her job at the tavern? Even if she could leave, how could she afford the trip?

"Just after morning meal," he answered, enjoying the lazy trail her fingers were running along his wrist.

"Before you leave, I need to check your bandages and remove that poultice." She arose to do just that while Obi-Wan sat up in the bed and watched her light the candle.

"Pad-Me," he began hesitantly, wishing there was some way he could talk Qui-Gon into letting her go with them, but knew there was no possible way his Master would agree. "Is there any chance you can go to Nu-Pea and watch me fight? I would really like you to be there."

Her motions of unwrapping his wound did not cease, her eyes maintaining their focus on the task. "I don't know. It's a two-day trip, and I'm supposed to work this evening."

Exactly what he thought she'd say, but Obi-Wan wasn't about to back down.

The pungent-smelling poultice had dried during the night and peeled away neatly in one layer. Pad-Me tossed it onto the floor, reached over to the table and picked up a clean cloth, dipping it into the bowl of water she had brought in the night before. She carefully dabbed the wound, removing the green stain left by the plant. Obi-Wan stopped her movements, however with his own hand, causing her gaze to finally lift.

"Please, if there's any way you can come..." he pleaded with his words and eyes.

Pad-Me continued to look at him, her brows lowered in thought, which Obi-Wan prayed was leading to a decision he would prefer.

It seemed time passed slowly as she considered the options, her attention abruptly returning to the job, the cloth tapping lightly against his shoulder once again. "I'll try," she said with very little emotion, while Obi-Wan displayed enough for both of them, a huge smile splitting his face.

"That would be great," he replied excitedly, though immediately wondering what had happened in Pad-Me's life to make her countenance so serious all the time. He actually knew very little about her. Perhaps, it was time to resolve that issue. "Tell me something about yourself," Obi-Wan prompted, his question only causing a quick lifting of her gaze before it fell immediately back down.

"What do you want to know?" she asked as the cloth went back into the water, causing it to become cloudy with remnants of the poultice.

"Where are you from? What do you like to do? Do you have family? How old are you?" Obi-Wan laughed at himself. He was giddy in love and was afraid it showed.

Pad-Me, on the other hand, was as cool as the desert night. "In that order?" she teased, finally showing a bit of humor with a slight upward curve of her lip.

"Sorry," Obi-Wan apologized, wincing when a fresh bandage was put into place. "I just want to know more about you."

Her chest heaved with a deep sigh as the wrappings were once again placed around, behind his shoulder blade and then back again, over and over. "I was born not very far from here nearly twenty votta ago. I have a sister named So-La. When I'm not working, I enjoy...painting."

"Really?" Obi-Wan responded with surprise. She was an artist? He never would've guessed, although she seemed rather talented with her hands. "Have you done anything recently? Anything I could look at?"

Pad-Me stood then, tidying up the mess she'd made before slipping into her tunic. "Nothing of any value."

"I don't care about that," Obi-Wan rose from the bed with some difficulty and stood before her. "If it's something you created, I'd like to see it."

Her deep brown eyes shifted to and fro, almost nervously Obi-Wan thought, although he didn't understand what she could be nervous about. He was standing in front of her completely naked, and didn't have a care in the world about it. Amazing, how things had changed in his life so quickly once Pad-Me had entered it.

"Maybe some other time," she said with a slight smile.

Some other time? "Does that mean I'll see you again? Maybe in Nu-Pea?" he asked, reaching for her hand.

"I told you I'd try," she lightly admonished him, though still displaying her grin.

Her body language and the tenseness in her grip was telling Obi-Wan, that for some reason, Pad-Me was possibly becoming annoyed, but this was perhaps his final chance. He had to tell he how he felt, and what his plans for them were. Maybe she was worried he had no plans, that there was no future for them. She needed to know otherwise.

"I know you did," Obi-Wan expressed gently, dropping his forehead gently against hers. "But even if you can't make it, I want you to know that when I become Soturi Champion, I will send for you. I want to marry you and have you stay in Upea with me. Your family can come too, if that's what you wish."

His bold announcement had caused a slight shiver to play along her limbs, but she had yet to respond. She was probably unable to speak due to shock, Obi-Wan figured, and he released her hand to place a supportive arm around her, grateful when she returned the embrace, careful to avoid his injury.

"Think about it," he whispered in her ear, holding her close while the light of the suns pierced the darkness of the room.

"You need to get dressed," she said suddenly, pulling out of the embrace.

"I mean what I said," Obi-Wan reassured her, while she went about gathering his cothing and equipment.

"I know you did. I'll have to think about it, Obi-Wan."

Of course she will. It was asking a lot from her, but it was also offering her a tremendous opportunity! How could she not take advantage of it?

Unless, of course, she didn't love him. Or even like him. The thought hadn't crossed his mind.

Bravery seemed to be the theme for the day, and as Obi-Wan began dressing, he spoke out once more. "I'm in love with you, you know."

She helped him don a light outer-tunic, leaving the injured arm dangling due to the bandages as Obi-Wan anxiously awaited her reply. When he was completely finished dressing, she stood before him at least an arm's length away, her countenance grave. "I know you are. But I need more time. Can you give me that?"

Not quite what he had hoped to hear, but it would have to do for the time-being. "Of course."

The awkwardness of the moment was interrupted by Qui-Gon, who jabbed his head through the curtain, his bearded face displaying his own source of aggravation. "There you are! I've been looking all over for you! It's time to head out."

"But I thought we were eating in the tavern first," Obi-Wan countered, seeing his time with Pad-Me slipping through his fingers like sand through a tuntiglass.

Qui-Gon entered the small room, picking up Obi-Wan's shield and sword. "We'll take something with us," the older man announced before sweeping out of the room.

He should say farewell, but Obi-Wan imagined he had said enough. He simply looked at Pad-Me's beautiful face and smiled, thankful that at least she had smiled back, before rushing out to catch up with the long-legged strides of his Master.


	12. Chapter 12

**Chapter Twelve**

Their mode of transportation had greatly improved, Obi-Wan noticed. Instead of having to stare at the wide, bulging rumps of xorax and endure the rough ride of a wagon, Qui-Gon had procured a comfortable carriage for them, drawn by a pair of vonen, whose long, full tails swishing back and forth as they walked, their graceful but powerful legs making great strides across the packed dirt road. At this pace, they would arrive in Nu-Pea before schedule; possibly half a day earlier than planned.

Which was a good thing. Obi-Wan wasn't sure how much longer he could bear the silence. Qui-Gon wasn't a verbose man in any situation, but after an entire day of receiving only a simple "yes" or "no" to any question asked of him, Obi-Wan was wondering what was wrong with his Master. He had asked, but Qui-Gon had avoided the subject, telling Obi-Wan not to worry; he was just tired.

Obi-Wan accepted the explanation. Knowing his Master, the man had probably paid for another whore the night before and as a result, had gotten very little sleep. He simply didn't know how Qui-Gon managed it. How could he sleep with one woman after the next, without ever becoming emotionally attached? Hadn't the man ever fallen in love?

On the second half of their journey, having attempted to sleep in the carriage the night before, Obi-Wan decided the excuse for his Master's silence was no longer valid. The man had snored like a damn vasta most of the night.

"Tell me about Nu-Pea," Obi-Wan said in an attempt to begin a conversation.

Qui-Gon snapped the reins against the vonen's backs, causing them to pick up their tempo. "The town is basically a replica of Upea, but on a much smaller scale," Qui-Gon began as Obi-Wan gazed across the horizon. There were many wagons and carriages taking the journey to Nu-Pea, but at the rapid pace Qui-Gon was imposing upon their team, they had pulled far ahead of the caravan. Now, all that stood between them and the distance was sand. Far ahead of them, however, Obi-Wan was beginning to make out the hazy rise of ridges, but he wasn't sure if the image was real or perhaps a mirage caused by the heat.

Sensing his curiosity and following his eyesight, Qui-Gon commented. "That's Nu-Pea at the top of the ridge ahead of us. It was built to honor the third Avi. It boasts public gardens and even a fountain."

"You're kidding," Obi-Wan replied astounded. Something which used water purely for pleasure was unheard of where he was from.

"I am most serious,Obi-Wan," Qui-Gon answered back. "The village was built around a natural spring, which was dedicated to the Avi, and the town of Nu-Pea sprung up around it. Its size and architecture are second only to Upea."

Obi-Wan was having trouble imagining such a place. He'd heard stories of buildings made from stone which rose as high as the dunes, streets lined with marble, and trees - tall, green plants offering shade from the suns with their large fronds. He'd been told these things but having never seen them, his mind simply couldn't imagine what they looked like. No wonder Qui-Gon was so set on returning there.

"Upea must be a remarkable place to live," Obi-Wan interrupted the rhythmic sound of the vonen's hooves clapping upon the road.

Qui-Gon continued to stare ahead, his face becoming wistful, and it was some time before he formed a reply. "It's absolutely beautiful."

Only, Obi-Wan didn't think he was talking about the city. The words of the pale-faced woman came rushing back, leading him to doubt his Master's sincerity. The city itself wasn't what was drawing Qui-Gon back to it. But what was? Or should he be wondering - _who_ was?

Once a Soturi was invited to participate in the Grand Battles, there were a series of three battles they would have to win to be declared Champion. All the opponents were chosen by the Soturi Grand Master, Win-Du. Each battle took place on one particular day over three weeks' time. Another week was added to the preparation, which means he and Qui-Gon would be in Upea for a month complete.

It had always been this way, so Qui-Gon himself would've been in Upea for a month. What had happened during that time all those years ago to make him so determined to return?

Or was his motivation simply to promote his student's talents and skill, as Obi-Wan had initially believed? He didn't know this Asa-Ven woman from a beggar on the road. Why should he even consider what she'd said?

Because somewhere deep in his heart, her words rang with truth. Obi-Wan wanted to ask Qui-Gon about it, but he couldn't decide how to approach the subject. Instead, Obi-Wan remained silent, the steady rhythmic beat of the hooves quickly lulling him to sleep.

When he awoke some hours later, the ridge before him loomed large, with the single road twisting and turning through it. Near its peak grew many green trees, tall and wide, and settled at their bases was a city - shining white and brilliant in the suns' light.

"Nu-Pea," Qui-Gon pointed out once realizing his student was awake. "We shall be welcomed with favor, but be on your guard. There are many who will offer you opportunities, which will sound pleasing at first, but will come at a great price."

Why had he said that? "What do you mean, Master?"

"Just trust your instincts, my Soturi. That's all I ask. If something doesn't feel right to you, then it probably isn't."

This conversation was the only thing that didn't 'feel' right to Obi-Wan, but he could tell by the look on Qui-Gon's face and the way he drove the team of vonen up the hill, he was in no mood for expanding his thoughts. Qui-Gon was forced to use the whip for the carriage to be brought through the gate of the city. The vonen complained loudly not necessarily due to its sting, but probably because of the crowd which lined the stone street. The people waved banners and were chanting Obi-Wan's name as their carriage passed. Obi-Wan simply sat and stared at them, his mouth agape with surprise. One young woman even was brave enough to rush to the carriage, jump astride it while it was moving and kiss his cheek. Qui-Gon chuckled at Obi-Wan's expense.

The further into Nu-Pea they traveled, however, the more sparse the crowd became, with the citizens here not so concerned with their presence, but rushed about taking care of their own affairs. Qui-Gon pulled the carriage up to an inn built atop a flight of steps. Marble columns lined the steps, as well as the interior of the facility. Everything was clean, bright, and white, Obi-Wan noted. So unlike the gritty and filthy taverns he had seen so far in their travels.

"Welcome to Nu-Pea, Soturi," a kindly, though bleating voice called out, drawing Obi-Wan's attention to the right, where he watched the approach of a tall, thin man whose face looked like a vohi. The only thing missing was the long, floppy ears, since he already had the white beard and beady eyes.

Qui-Gon greeted the middle-aged man who shook hands with him quite aggressively.

"It's good to see you again, Qui-Gon! This must be Obi-Wan; the one we've heard so much about!"

"Obi-Wan," Qui-Gon began the introductions, "this is Jar-Bin, manager of the Nu-Pea Arena and owner of this inn."

Obi-Wan smiled and nodded curtly, not wishing to sprain his wrist with the more exuberant greeting the man had shown Qui-Gon. "I'm happy to be here in Nu-Pea."

"And we are pleased to welcome you. Come. There are excellent rooms prepared for you both. Allow me to show them to you."

Jar-Bin walked about barking orders, demanding his staff carry all his guests' belongings and follow him up a flight of marble steps.

Obi-Wan and Qui-Gon followed, but at distance. It was Obi-Wan's fault. There was too much to see to rush through it all: Potted plants, grand statues, silver candlesticks, ornate works of art and tapestries filled the foyer. He was quite distracted.

"Come, Obi-Wan, you can appreciate everything later," Qui-Gon told him, although Obi-Wan walked backwards to the steps to take one more fleeting glance.

Together, they ascended the wide stairs, Qui-Gon quite humored by his student's wonderment. "What do you think?"

"Very opulent," Obi-Wan responded.

"I was speaking of the owner," Qui-Gon informed him privately as they advanced slowly.

At the top of the steps was a hallway which led in two directions. Toward the left was where the manager had gone and was presently giving strict instructions to his staff, his voice revealing a level of nervous excitement.

"Jar-Bin? He's very...jovial." It was the most polite response Obi-Wan could think of.

"He's an idiot," Qui-Gon whispered bluntly just before they reached the end of the hall, causing Obi-Wan to have to cover up a fit of snickering with a cough.

"Here we are," Jar-Bin announced. "Two adjoining rooms with a balcony overlooking the plaza, a sitting and dining room. Down the hall are bathing facilities, which are fully staffed for your pleasure."

"Thank you," Qui-Gon told him.

There was a strange byplay going on, with the owner grinning quite comically at them both. Obi-Wan wasn't sure what to expect. Was Jar-Bin awaiting a monetary gift or something?

"I'm afraid we're both rather exhausted from the trip," Qui-Gon finally spoke up. "We shall rest before heading to the arena."

"Well then," Jar-Bin responded, his broad mouth still spread in a ludicrous grin before turning and abruptly leaving the room.

The other two men stood still for a moment, staring out the door after him. "He's quite odd," Obi-Wan pointed out.

"Indeed," Qui-Gon agreed. "Unpack our things, Obi-Wan. We need to go check in at the arena and look at this week's fight schedule."

Obi-Wan dutifully did as he was told, taking the bedroom to the right, and allowing Qui-Gon the larger one on the left - the one overlooking the plaza. When he'd completed the task, he returned to the sitting area to find Qui-Gon peering out the open balcony doorway outlined by nearly transparent drapes billowing in the breeze, but he was not alone. In entry to the rooms was a woman - one of the most beautiful women Obi-Wan had ever seen. She had a long, graceful neck, full, pouting lips, and unless the shadows were playing tricks with his vision, her eyes were lavendar. She was older than Obi-Wan, though not quite as old as Qui-Gon, and was wearing rather fashionable and expensive-looking clothing; with jewels dripping from her ears and gold around her neck. She smiled kindly at him, but spoke no word, gazing past Obi-Wan; her concentration obviously on the bigger man who filled the balcony exit.

"Qui-Gon?" Obi-Wan called out to get his Master's attention.

"Did you put everything away?" the man asked without turning.

"Qui-Gon," Obi-Wan repeated a bit more forcefully. "You have a visitor." And she was no harlot.

His Master did turn then, shocking Obi-Wan with the undeniable change of his entire countenance. If it were possible for love to have a face, Qui-Gon was now wearing it.


	13. Chapter 13

**Chapter Thirteen **

There was a heightened amount of nervous tension in the room Obi-Wan felt he could slice through with his sword. He stood there for some time waiting for something to happen, for someone to say something - anything, but when his Master finally spoke, it was to him, not to the woman still standing in the doorway.

"Obi-Wan, have Jar-Bin take you to the arena. I will meet you there shortly."

Obi-Wan did as he was told, though with some reluctance. He just hoped Qui-Gon's obvious relationship with this woman was not another secret his Master intended to keep from him.

Once his Soturi had left, Qui-Gon took a careful step forward, his heart hammering in his chest. It had been almost twenty votta since he'd seen her, although it seemed as if she hadn't aged at all. Not like he had. The heat, the sand, the life he'd led. Things hadn't been easy and he was afraid it showed in his face. He was nervous..anxious even. What was she going to say? Was she angry? How could he make her understand?

"Tah-Du, it's so good to see you again," he finally managed, although his tongue was suddenly as parched as a desert stone. "What brings you here?" He took another step forward, noting she had not yet moved, thankful that at least she hadn't left entirely after seeing him.

"Qui-Gon."

It was the only word she had spoken thus far, but he loved the way her lips formed his name. He always had. And her voice was just as deep and sultry as he remembered. Another hesitant step.

"Why did you come?" he rephrased the question, just now noticing the moisture gathering in her violet eyes.

"I had to see you for myself," she told him, as he stepped forward some more, gradually closing the distance between them. "Had to make sure you were really here. It's been a long time."

"Nineteen votta, six kossi, and twenty-seven piva," Qui-Gon specified, causing one side of her mouth to quirk upward into a smile even though a single tear had escaped and was presently running down her cheek.

With two long strides, he was now standing in front of her, and he discovered she was just as nervous as he was. Her pulse was beating rapidly along the creamy column of her throat, her breath coming out in light puffs between her pursed lips, her chest rising nearly as fast as his was.

Qui-Gon gently lifted a finger to catch the tear, and immediately upon doing so, was filled with great relief when she boldly stepped forward.

Upea may be heaven for some, but this was his own personal paradise - here in Tah-Du's arms, his senses assailed by her soft skin, her sweet fragrance, and her overwhelming beauty.

They held onto each other as the kirja passed, until she was the one who moved, not completely out of his embrace much to Qui-Gon's satisfaction, but in order to walk with him back to the balcony to the view he had been appreciating just moments before.

They were both struggling for something to say, despite the fact there was so much which needed to be spoken of. Qui-Gon silently admonished himself. He was the warrior, he should be brave enough to speak. Except, she beat him to it. He should've known better. Tah-Du had always been more courageous than him, and much wiser too.

"I take it that was your famous Soturi I've been hearing so much about ?" she said as they stood arm in arm looking down upon the plaza.

So this was the way it was going to be? It was his own fault. They were apparently too afraid to get to the point. But if getting it all out in the open jeopardized this moment, he would participate in small talk with her for as long as she wanted to.

"It was. I found him at an auction just outside of Taresh."

"Did you pay a lot for him?"

Qui-Gon wasn't certain if she expected him to say yes or no. Obi-Wan didn't give off the impression he was a dangerous warrior, but by now, Qui-Gon assumed the boy's reputation preceded them. Surely, even in Upea, Tah-Du had heard about the young man's skills.

"Actually, no," Qui-Gon told her. "He was a weapons steward. He wasn't even listed on the docket."

Following his admission, Tah turned toward him, her brow turning curious. "Then, how did you know?"

Qui-Gon realized where this conversation was heading, but was ready for it. The quicker he could explain things, the quicker they could being the healing process. "I sensed he had a gift, I tested him, and trained him."

"Like you did the others?" she asked, her voice still tender and holding no malice, although she had every right to be upset with him.

"There has only been one other, and he was taken from me. Obi-Wan still may be as well." Qui-Gon admitted, the painful realization constricting a throat he was forced to clear. Time to turn the tables. "And what about you? Have there been others?" He expected her to tell him the truth. They had always been honest with one another. He was prepared to hear it, but actually had not expected the answer he got.

"There's been no one but you Qui."

He captured her gaze, amazed to discover her words were truthful, as difficult as it was to believe. "It's been nearly twenty votta, Tah."

She smiled, regardless of his bewilderment. "I told you I'd wait."

He didn't deserve her, but he had to have her. She was the sole reason he was in this business to begin with - the drive to return to her eclipsing all else in his life. When he was with Tah, his life was complete and the nagging emptiness in his soul no longer existed. She filled him to excess, driving out all worry and grief. He needed nothing else in his life.

But she shouldn't have waited all this time. She deserved a life of her own - a family. It was too late for that now.

"You shouldn't have waited," Qui-Gon argued with her, causing a playful spark to light her lavendar eyes.

"Let's not start this all up again." Tah told him, turning to hold him once more. "Too much time has passed, you're here with me now, and that's all that matters." She lifted her head to gaze up at him. "You are here with me, aren't you?"

"Obviously." Qui-Gon answered playfully, pulling her tightly against him.

"You know what I mean. What are his chances? I've heard tales, but you know how those things go. Less than half of them are true. Does Obi-Wan really have a chance of winning?"

Qui-Gon answered without hesitation. He was that confident in the young man's abilities. "I believe he can."

"And then you and I can be together. Finally, together." Tah's words only increased Qui-Gon's guilt. He had made her wait too long. He had a lot to make up for.

"I'm sorry," he said, taking her face between his callused and overworked hands, which were a stark contrast to her delicate skin and flawless features. "I had no idea it would take me this long to return to you. There were...complications."

New tears ran freely down Tah-Du's face as he attempted to apologize for all the time and neglect.

"That doesn't matter any more," she told him, her head landed perfectly upon his shoulder. "You've come back to me. If you want to tell me all the rest, you can tell me later."

He loved this woman so much, words could not adequately express it. Instead, Qui-Gon made a silent vow that from now on, his actions would show it. Starting now.

He turned his head, tilting it just slightly to place a kiss upon her mouth. He'd intended for it to be a simple seal to his vow, but her response, apparently affected by time lost and feelings shared, opened a gate, which flooded the kiss with a mixture of emotion and powerful need.

Somewhere inside his clouded mind, the thought occurred to Qui-Gon that all of those other women he'd been with, were nothing but a cheap imitation of what he considered the real thing. They were but a morning mist evaporating in the heat of the suns, while Tah-Du was a solid and firm reality forever etched upon in his heart.

The kiss became much more, the strength and passion threatening to buckle his knees. It was as if he were thirty again, sneaking behind her brother's house to steal a kiss or two from this intoxicating woman. She had the ability to make him feel so alive and young again.

However, his strength abruptly left him when she let out a sound like the coo of a desert dove, and he took her down with him, both of them collapsing upon the balcony floor, her body lying across his lap as he continued his assault on her mouth and tongue.

"Stop," she laughed suddenly, her hand caressing his bearded face. "We have the rest of our lives to catch up. You're going to make me pass out."

Qui-Gon laughed with her, bringing her soft knuckles up to nuzzle with his lips. He liked the sound of that.

"The rest of our lives?" he repeated, smiling down at her. "I'll agree to that."


	14. Chapter 14

**Chapter Fourteen**

Time and experience had led Obi-Wan to believe when he returned to their rooms at the inn, he would find Qui-Gon and his 'friend' in a state of undress, in a most compromising position. And so he carefully entered the place, announcing his arrival, only to find them both sitting on the sofa at least an arm's length from one another, wearing every stitch of clothing they'd had on when he'd left.

"Obi-Wan, come sit down," his Master requested, directing him to a carved chair fashioned from what appeared to be wood - possibly from one of the many trees he'd seen in Nu-Pea.

When Obi-Wan sat, it was the woman who addressed him. He found her voice as lovely as her features. Apparently, his Master felt the same, for when she spoke, he didn't take his eyes off her.

"Obi-Wan, I am Tah-Du," she said, her violet eyes shining bright and clear.

"Du?" Obi-Wan repeated, immediately attempting to make a connection.

"I am of the Du line. My brother is Win-Du, Grand Manager of the Soturi Battles, the same one who defeated your Master so long ago." When she mentioned the fight which had ended Qui-Gon's career as a Soturi, she reached over and took his Master's hand before continuing. "I have known Qui-Gon a long time. We met during his time in Upea and fell desperately in love." Her focus returned to his Master then, and she finished her introduction enraptured by their shared gaze. Obi-Wan had never seen two people look at one another like that before. Pad-Me certainly didn't look at him that way.

"Win defeated Qui-Gon, however, and even though the Emperor declared Selitys, allowing Qui-Gon his freedom, he could not stay in Upea. We were separated and have not been together since that terrible day."

Obi-Wan shifted uncomfortably on the seat as his Master stroked the woman's face with the back of his hand, wiping away the tears she had shed during her heartfelt admission. He shouldn't be hearing this, and felt as if he were intruding on a rather intimate moment. Obi-Wan abruptly rose from his seat, trying to think of an excuse to leave. His Master, however, apparently had other plans.

"Sit down, Obi-Wan."

"Yes, sir," the young man obeyed without question.

"Tah, darling," Qui-Gon addressed the woman. "Is this really necessary? You can tell the boy's rather embarrassed."

"Yes," Tah-Du demanded, returning her attention to the young warrior. "Obi-Wan, you need to understand the motivation behind Qui-Gon's drive to train you as Soturi. It's only fair. And Qui-Gon," she paused, a slight irritation lowering her brows as she turned back to his Master, "you should've shared all this long ago. The boy has questions. You can see it in his eyes.

Now, Obi-Wan, where was I?"

"You mentioned having been separated from my Master," Obi-Wan supplied, bringing a friendly smile to her full lips.

"Before he left Upea," Tah continued, "Qui-Gon promised to return as quickly as possible. Although his idea of what 'quick' means is up for debate."

Her attempt at humor only caused his Master to duck his head in shame. Never before had Obi-Wan seen his Master's face turn red. This woman apparently had great power over the man.

"Nevertheless, he has trained you as Soturi, and truly believes you are capable of winning the final battle, thus ensuring our future together."

Wait. Qui-Gon was depending upon his abilities to ensure he has a life with this woman? No wonder his Master hadn't shared this information beforehand! If the possibility of a painful death wasn't stressful enough!

"You see?" Qui-Gon leaned forward whispering quite loudly to Tah-Du. "It's too much for him to comprehend. I told you he wouldn't understand."

"No, I understand," Obi-Wan argued. The information might be overwhelming, but when it came to love, he did understand. Or, at least he thought he had until he'd seen these two together. "I'm in love myself."

Tah-Du's brows rose high as she considered his statement, looking to his Master for confirmation, only to receive an unsure quirky grin.

"Is that so?" she asked with what seemed to be genuine interest. "What's her name?"

"Pad-Me," Obi-Wan proudly announced. "I met her in Pentari. Qui-Gon introduced us."

His admission apparently impressed Tah-Du. She leaned foward, placing a kiss upon his master's mouth, "You see? I knew you were romantic."

"You have no idea," Qui-Gon replied without much subtlety.

Obi-Wan cleared his throat just in case the couple forgot he was in the room.

"Is Pad-Me coming to Nu-Pea to watch you battle?" Tah-Du asked, putting distance between herself and his Master again, although this time, not quite as much as before.

"She's going to try," Obi-Wan answered, though without much conviction. He hoped she would be there, and if she managed it, Obi-Wan was going to view it as a sign that his Master wasn't the only one with a romantic future.

"Did you check the arena schedule?"

Qui-Gon's question immediately focused Obi-Wan's stray thoughts. He was here for a reason, and he needed to remember that. "Yes Master. My first team battle is tomorow at mid morning. We are to report two tunti prior to the fight to become acquainted with my Soturi partner."

His Master didn't seem to be bothered by the details, but Obi-Wan was. He didn't like the idea of relying upon a stranger for his success.

"I'll be watching you with great interest," Tah-Du told him. "Just do your best."

"I'll try" he announced, hesitating when he felt she had something more to say.

"One more thing you need to know, Obi-Wan," she continued in a most serious tone, leveling her intense gaze at him. "My brother is ill and I am currently acting under the orders of the Emperor as Grand Manager. Even if you do defeat your next opponents, if the battles are not satisfactory, I will not be allowed to issue an invitation to Upea. So, when I say 'do your best', I expect just that. Nothing less."

Obi-Wan didn't reply this time, as he didn't think there was anything he could say to ease the worry so evident in the woman's face. The true meaning hidden behind her words was obvious. If he lost the battle she would lose Qui-Gon. Again.

There was much to consider, much to focus upon. Perhaps he should meditate. It had been a while since he had.


	15. Chapter 15

**Chapter Fifteen **

"He seems like a nice young man."

Tah-Du's conversation in the darkness caught Qui-Gon by surprise. Following a rather strenuous session of lovemaking, he had assumed she would fall asleep, but like him, there were apparently other things on her mind.

They lay together upon the down-filled mattress, covered with the soft furs of the ketu. The desert evenings were cold, but especially the one tonight. However, the body next to Qui-Gon warmed his bones, as well as flooded his heart with such strong emotions as he had never known. How was this possible? How could she love him? She was a beautiful, wealthy, highly-respected citizen of Upea, and he was nothing more than a beaten down, crotchety, old Soturi trainer.

Tah, however, didn't seem to notice his shortcomings. She lay sprawled across him, her fingers twirling through the mass of silvering hair on his chest.

"Obi-Wan is…companionable," Qui-Gon finally answered, after struggling for what he thought would be the most accurate description of the boy.

"Companionable?" Tah uttered cynically. "Qui, you really need to learn to be more generous with your compliments."

"All right," Qui-Gon chuckled, deciding to cooperate, against his better judgment. "He is…"

Once again he stalled, suddenly found himself at a loss for words. What could he say? Obi-Wan was brave? That much was obvious. But in the search for something less than obvious, Qui-Gon had difficulty. He would like to say the boy was loyal, but he didn't know for sure, did he?

Especially after observing the young man speaking with that criminal, Asa-Ven.

"Qui? What is it?"

He had hesitated too long and it had raised her suspicions. Even in the dimness of night, he could see the concern in her lovely eyes and could hold nothing back from her. She deserved complete honesty from him.

"It's Asa-Ven," he explained, as she landed her chin upon her folded arms crossed over his chest.

"The one you told me about earlier? The one who lured Xan-Tos away from you?"

"The same." Qui-Gon told her, taking the opportunity to allow a silky lock of her hair to run through his fingers. "She met with Obi-Wan following his last battle. I saw them speaking together outside the arena."

"Did you talk to Obi-Wan about it?"

Of course he hadn't. It wasn't that simple! He was hoping Obi-Wan would come to the right decision all on his own and he didn't wish to pry.

"No," he answered, "you know I didn't."

"Why not?"

Qui-Gon had the suspicion Tah knew the answer already, but he wasn't going to get any sleep until he confessed. "I guess I was afraid of the answer. If Obi-Wan abandons me, I don't know what I'll do. I'm running out of time, my love. If you haven't noticed yet, I'm getting older and this isn't getting any easier."

His explanation seemed to satisfy Tah, and brought a smile to her face, although it was one shadowed by remorse and possible regret.

Tah shifted her body forward, her tantalizing breasts sliding across his skin as she leaned down for a kiss, her dark hair draping about Qui-Gon's head.

"I have a feeling about Obi-Wan," she whispered to him, her hands cradling his face, her thumbs gently caressing. "I don't believe he would betray you. You can trust him."

Qui-Gon accepted another kiss, grateful for her insight, but he was worried nonetheless. He hoped she was right.

* * *

Meditation in bed was never a good idea, especially after traveling such a long distance. Obi-Wan was having difficulty staying focused, fatigue hampering his abilities.

During moments like these, Obi-Wan could often rely upon the familiar aura, which accompanied him on these journeys, but there was none present this evening.

Finally after some time, he gave up, his thoughts collapsing, his center expanding as the need for sleep defeated any further effort.

A restful sleep, however, was destined to be stolen away this evening by a thief; a thief with striking, dark eyes, long, flowing locks, full red lips, and a sultry voice.

She was speaking to him again, but this time was saying much more than merely asking for his help. Although somewhere in his subconscious, Obi-Wan realized he was dreaming, he knew this was a revelation, and its significance could not be ignored.

"What do want from me?" he asked, the vision of her as clear as if she were a solid presence standing before him.

"We are peaceful," she explained, her hands gesturing behind him and Obi-Wan turned to see an ebony field filled with bright stars, highlighted by a blue and green marble sphere rotating just to his right. The longer he looked, the closer the ball came, until he was flying like a bird through its sky and over its land.

The woman re-appeared and he landed upon firm ground, once again amidst the now-familiar greenery of trees and variety of other plant life.

She continued speaking as they walked together through the lushness of the forest. "They came to negotiate, but all communication with anyone who could come to our aid was severed. Now, all that once was is lost. People are dying, including many loved ones. More die every day and will continue to do so unless you do something."

"Me?" Obi-Wam stammered. "How am I supposed to help?" As he spoke, their surroundings changed once again to reveal a crumbling city with piles of dead, corpses lining the streets; lifeless metal bodies lighting them on fire one by one.

Echoes of scenes from the past or possibly the present played out in his mind, and Obi-Wan watched as rows of women dressed in orange were escorted down the street. She was among them and suddenly left the group, rushing over to one of the piles. She obviously recognized someone and screamed out in anguish. Obi-Wan recognized it as the scream which had distracted him during his battle against Ma-Ul, and once again he was deeply affected by it. Obi-Wan was now desperate to help this beautiful young woman.

"I don't even know where you are. This isn't Avi-Kao. How can I find you?"

"You were shown the way," she explained, "but yet you refuse to accept it. I know you're brave. We need you," she pleaded, her eyes moistening with unshed tears. "I...I need you. Find me. Come to me."

Her final words were filled with such pain and yearning, they brought Obi-Wan to his knees, and he awakened to find himself huddled upon the floor of his rented room, his heart pounding in his chest, her words forever etched upon his mind.

The passage had indeed been laid before him. The door. He now recognized it for what it was. If he had the courage to walk through it, he would find her. But how could he follow that path, knowing it would take him away from everything he'd ever known? How could he leave Qui-Gon?

More importantly, how could he leave Pad-Me?


	16. Chapter 16

**Chapter Sixteen**

A hearty meal of xorax tail and porkana root boosted Obi-Wan's energy level despite the fact he hadn't slept very well the night before. The dreams of the woman from the forest kept repeating themselves throughout the night, and he would wake up with the echo of her voice ringing in his head. As a result, he was feeling sluggish when the suns rose and was grateful for the feast, which would no doubtedly help him feel better. He needed it. This day would mark the beginning of his bouts in Nu-Pea.

He and Qui-Gon had set out from the inn early that morning following refreshment and drove the carriage back to the Suri Arena. Upon their arrival in Nu-Pea the afternoon before, Obi-Wan had managed to just get a glimpse of the structure, which stood above the distant trees on the highest ridge. He was now able to obtain a full view, and he found the architecture to be stunning. Remembering what Qui-Gon had told him about Nu-Pea, that it was a smaller-scaled version of the capital city of Upea, Obi-Wan couldn't imagine how such a thing could be any more grand.

Each entrance to the arena was an arch created from sand-colored stone, and between the stones were pillars carved from trees. Each pillar had scenes of Soturi battles etched in them. The arena stood four levels high, and each level was basically a replica of the lowest one, with a walkway for guests along the outer circumference of each one.

Beyond the main entrance, through a set of arched wooden doors was the Soturi waiting area where there were cushioned benches set upon marble floors, placed in a semi-circle about a central fountain depicting the greatest warrior from Nu-Pea to have ever become Soturi champion. Obi-Wan read the inscription at its base before admiring the impressive creation. He could see the resemblance of this particular Soturi in Tah, with her wide-set eyes and square jaw, although Win-Du wasn't quite as pleasant to look at as his sister he noted to himself.

Obi-Wan smiled due to his own sense of humor, though immediately sobering once he recalled his purpose for their early arrival. This was where he and Qui-Gon would discover who Obi-Wan would be partnered with for today's battle: A warrior whose identity had been withheld up until this point, the same one who was late. He hoped the Soturi's lack of punctuality wasn't a bad sign, but as each moment passed, the young man became more and more nervous.

That is, until a familiar face appeared in the room, easing his worry, and bringing a pleasurable smile to his face.

"Gar-Ren!" Obi-Wan declared proudly, taking the youth's forearm in friendly a greeting.

"Obi-Wan, why I'll be the son of a russaka! Surely, the gods are in my favor today!"

"Have you two already met?" Obi-Wan's Master asked, his surprise evident.

Obi-Wan couldn't erase the giddy smile from his face. His situation had certainly improved. "Yes, we have," he answered. "Qui-Gon, this is my friend, Gar-Ren, trained by Yad-Le. We met in Pentari."

"And showed those Pentari bastards a thing or two about the drink!" Gar-Ren added, cheerfully slapping Obi-Wan upon the shoulder.

"I know your Master," Qui-Gon interrupted the exuberant young man coolly, with crossed arms. "She is a highly intelligent and respectable woman in this business."

"Even though she comes to about the knees of a sarki," Gar-Ren leaned over, commenting quietly to Obi-Wan, his snickering stopped short by the thwack of an elaborately carved cane against his backside.

"Watch your tongue, Gar, or you'll be roasting over a spit with this stick through your middle."

Even though her temper had been quick, it had been short, much like the woman herself, Obi-Wan decided, taking a quick inventory of Gar-Ren's Master. She appeared far too old to be a Soturi trainer with so many wrinkles on her face, her green eyes were barely seen. And she was of short stature, to be sure - the top of her wrapped head coming not quite to his chest.

"Qui-Gon," Yad-Le turned her attention far up to the face of Obi-Wan's Master, "I see you have acquired a new warrior. I've heard much about him. "

"He can hold his own," Qui-Gon commented with his typical restraint.

Yad-Le grinned, adding even more indentions to her sand-scorched complexion. "I believe he and Gar-Ren will complement one another well in the arena. "

"I agree. Let's not waste any more time and get them to the practice area."

Obi-Wan and Gar-Ren had very little say in the matter, but they exchanged a glance of shared understanding, following their Masters dutifully around the arena, to an adjoining circular building of similar architecture.

The two friends met in the middle of the smaller arena, smiling at one another as they each drew their swords. Gar-Ren was the first one to swing against him, but Obi-Wan easily parried the blow, the clang of the metal breaking the silence of the morning.

They continued in an easy-going fashion across the sand, their weapons continuing to come together as their Masters observed them from a distance, seemingly pleased with what they saw.

Obi-Wan had the strangest sensation as he went through the warm-up. It was almost as if he were performing drills in front of a looking glass. He and Gar-Ren were the same height, had many of the same attributes, and even fought in the same style.

Playfully, Obi-Wan tripped the young man. In a countermove, Gar-Ren rolled against his legs, causing Obi-Wan himself to fall and land on his back. Laughter erupted from both fighters, only to stop short when two sets of feet appeared next to their heads.

"All right, that will do," Qui-Gon announced from above, his long shadow cast over Obi-Wan by the rising suns.

Gar-Ren rose and offered Obi-Wan a hand, which he accepted, standing quickly up before his Master.

"You do realize this battle will be difficult and will require your full concentration," Yad-Le scolded her student.

The young man immediately adjusted his countenance to something far more serious. "Yes, I understand, Master."

"You as well, Obi-Wan," Qui-Gon chimed in. "Do you know who you two are up against?"

Obi-Wan glanced at Gar-Ren who shrugged his shoulders. It hadn't been announced or written on the roster. How would they know?

"You'll be facing an elimination team. Ja-Fet and Bo-Fet. A father and son, whose sole purpose is to beat only the most worthy adversaries. They volunteer for this and for the past few years have managed to defeat several excellent Soturi warriors. They don't wish for citizenship, they do not wish for gold. They enjoy the kill. Do you understand?"

Obi-Wan comprehended fully. He knew how much his advance to Upea meant to Qui-Gon, and how much his defeat would cost them – both.

"You must enter the arena fully prepared," Yad-Le added, leaning forward on her walking stick, gazing up at both Gar-Ren and Obi-Wan. "The Fets are powerful and have won many battles together. They will be a difficult challenge."

"We'll be ready," Gar-Ren announced confidently, the assuredness of his words seeping deeply into Obi-Wan's mind. He met Qui-Gon's concerned gaze and nodded his agreement with Gar-Ren's phrase, a warm feeling bubbling up from somewhere deep inside of himself.

Somehow, he knew there was no chance he would lose on this day.


	17. Chapter 17

**Chapter Seventeen**

Nervous tension was not typically a problem for Obi-Wan. He was confident enough in his abilities to be able to control the anxiety, which seemed to have disturbed others as they waited for their individual bouts to begin.

True, he was biting the edges of his nails as he observed the pre-battle entertainment, but Obi-Wan had picked up the habit long ago, and knew it was from lack of activity or boredom, not anxiety.

He was standing just beyond one of the heavy gates leading to Suri Arena watching as the crowd began to gather. He tried to convince himself he was merely observing the audience, to see what kind of people they were, and figure out what he could possibly do to impress them, but he wasn't fooling himself. He was looking for her.

Had Pad-Me been able to come? Was she here already? Obi-Wan continued to scan the spectators, but had been unable to see anyone resembling her yet.

"Sizing up the gathering?" Gar-Ren asked upon his approach.

"It pays to know whom you're performing for," Obi-Wan replied, tucking his chewed fingers inside his armpits.

"Yad-Le tells me Ja-Fet has a bad knee, left side. We should use that to our advantage."

"That roll you brought me down with this morning should take care of that." Obi-Wan joked, noting Gar-Ren didn't quite share his humorous outlook. The young man's mood had indeed sobered.

"I'll keep that in mind," the young man smiled then, but the expression changed quickly. He then turned his attention toward his Obi-Wan and away from the arena. "I'll watch your back, don't worry."

"And I'll watch yours," Obi-Wan told Gar-Ren, grinning widely in an attempt to ease some of the worry suddenly evident in the young man's gaze.

There wasn't much else Obi-Wan could say. His main concern at the moment was seeing if Pad-Me was present in the arena. Although a slight twinge of guilt struck him as he watched Gar-Ren stroll away, Obi-Wan returned his focus to the crowd.

By the time the prelude to the battle had ended, the arena had been filled to capacity, and there was no sign of her anywhere. Disappointed, Obi-Wan withdrew to the holding area, where he was sprayed with some time of oily substance to 'add a desirable sparkly sheen to his body,' he was told by the rather flamboyant and obnoxious Jar-Bin, and then proceeded to the gate which would lead him directly into arena.

There had been no time for mental preparations. Obi-Wan felt as ready as he could possibly be, and he nodded sagely to his friend before the heavy wooden door swung open, and together, they charged out onto the sand.

A great shout heralded from the crowd, nearly deafening Obi-Wan in its volume. He and Gar-Ren lifted their swords to greet the audience, only causing the uproar to increase.

But the sound was nothing compared to the wild cheers, which erupted when their opponents entered. Apparently, having joined the population of Nu-Pea some time in the past, Ja-Fet and his son, Bo, were heavily favored by the people. Obi-Wan was going to have his work cut out for him if he were to win them over today.

It was amazing to him how the two men looked so much alike, each with the tanned skin of the nomads, pitch-black hair, and stout, muscular bodies. If it weren't for the graying at the father's temples, Obi-Wan would have trouble telling them apart.

Together, the combatants walked to the center of the field and bowed respectfully to its manager – or rather, to the empty seat where he should be sitting. To the right, however, was obviously the man's family, and Obi-Wan focused upon that, although just for an instant.

He could've recognized her anywhere, from any distance, and for a moment, didn't understand how she had escaped his notice before, but the most important fact was that she was here.

"Pad-Me," Obi-Wan mouthed her name, which she apparently recognized, because she smiled after he'd done so.

Her presence boosted Obi-Wan's confidence all the more, and he swung his sword in a whirling motion about his face and shoulders as he and Gar-Ren took a few steps back.

Obi-Wan wasn't sure what he was expecting from the Nu-Pea team, but it certainly wasn't this.

The two men stood together, forehead upon forehead and were mumbling some unknown phrase before they split apart and then began slamming their armored chests together. After each contact, they yelled out ferociously while Obi-Wan and Gar-Ren waited, knees bent, swords raised in preparation for an attack - an attack, which came in an instant once the father and son team were finished with their preliminary ritual.

It was the father, Ja-Fet who came at Obi-Wan with a vengeance. From the corner of his eye, Obi-Wan could see Gar-Ren had his hands full with the son.

Obi-Wan considered several ways to aid Gar-Ren in his battle, but decided he needed to focus upon his own fight, which had become substantially more difficult during his distraction.

Having tossed aside his own sword, Ja-Fet now carried a ball and chain flail, with an extremely long range. He swung it round at Obi-Wan's head, forcing the Soturi to drop and roll out of harm's way.

Gar-Ren was having his own problems, having to deal with the Bo-Fet, who was now wielding a pole hammer, which he had already used to strike a damaging blow to the Gar-Ren's shoulder armor. Obi-Wan could see blood beginning to flow from an unseen wound, but it didn't slow down his partner. Gar-Ren rousted a flurry of offensive attacks on his opponent, backing him quickly across the sand toward his direction. Obi-Wan used the opportunity to put some distance between himself and that flail, picking up a handful of sand in the process.

He used the grit to blind Ja-Fet just long enough to dispose of the spiked ball, having caught the outstretched chain on the end of his sword, tossing the weapon high into the netting, which protected the on-looking crowd. It hung there, dangling, just out of everyone's reach.

From the back of his armor, Ja-Fet produced a short sword, which brought a smile back to Obi-Wan's face. He preferred his battles up close, and he boldly stepped forward to confront the man, matching each one of his deadly swings with one of his own. The two continued to move across the sand in an odd dance of life and death, until a noise issued out from Obi-Wan's right which caught his attention. It was a sound he was becoming accustomed to, although doubted would ever be able to rid himself of: a blade cutting through flesh, followed by the gurgling of a blood-filled throat.

Bo-Fet was down, Gar-Ren's weapon protruding from his chest. Obi-Wan had missed the killing jab, but was thankful he would now have some help, for once the father had witnessed the death of his son, he become enraged, and his strength doubled.

Even with the two of them battling against him, the older man was keeping up quite well, his sneer never leaving his face, and sweat never appearing on his brow.

Outside of the practice area, he and Gar-Ren had never fought together, and therefore, Obi-Wan was amazed to discover how synchronized their movements were. When he feigned, Gar-Ren would attack, and vice versa. However, despite their combined efforts, Ja-Fet continued his attack, coming at them from different angles, even when Obi-Wan had managed to move toward his flank.

However, this maneuver left his injured knee open to Gar-Ren's attack, and the young man managed to land a swift kick at the joint, although not quite as successfully as planned. Instead of taking Ja-Fet down, it merely brought Gar-Ren too close.

Obi-Wan could see the deadly swing before it had happened: Ja-Fet's sword swiping neatly down across Gar-Ren's throat before he had the chance to back away.

He couldn't allow that, and charged at the father, meeting the blunt end of Ja-Fet's sword against his chin in the process.

Stunned, mostly by the irony of the situation, Obi-Wan backed away, the glint of an incoming sword revealing his upcoming death. Instead, he heard the cry of Gar-Ren, who came at the warrior from behind, using a knife he had pulled from his boot to slice across the older man's throat.

It was a sacrifice on Gar-Ren's part, for at the same time, Ja-Fet had managed to thrust his sword backward into the onrushing Soturi, literally skewering him.

Ja-Fet fell forward, his life rushing from him in threads of crimson upon the sand, while Gar-Ren fell backward, Ja-Fet's sword still protruding from his middle.

Obi-Wan went down to his knees and cradled his friend's head in his lap. There was nothing he could do. Removing the sword would only hasten his death. It was selfish of him, but Obi-Wan wanted to say a few words before that happened.

"It was worth it," Gar-Ren breathed out before Obi-Wan had the chance voice his opinion that he shouldn't have sacrificed his own life, that Gar-Ren was the one who needed to move on. "You are better than I am," he continued even while Obi-Wan tried to shush him. "You're destined for something great."

A blood-stained hand landed on Obi-Wan's arm, his eyes transfixed by a nearly matching pair. "Something much greater than being a damn Soturi Champion…"

The words were so softly spoken, Obi-Wan barely heard them. However, he couldn't ask Gar-Ren to repeat them, for his friend had already passed onto the next life.


	18. Chapter 18

**Chapter Eighteen**

She came to him, dressed in garments much nicer than the ones he remembered from Pentari. Obi-Wan held fast to the hope she was trying to look her best for him. Her eyes sparkled and were lined with kohl, her lips were painted red, small pieces of jewelry dangled from her ears, and the tunic, which wrapped around her petite body leaving one shoulder exposed, was edged with a gold and red ribbon.

There was no wound to tend following this battle; not one that could be seen by the human eye. Obi-Wan's pain was inside. He was filled with regret and sorrow. He had lost the only friend he'd had this world. It took something away from the pleasure of this meeting, although he was more than a little pleased to see her again.

"You made it," Obi-Wan exclaimed as she approached him following the bout, just outside the arena in the Soturi waiting area. She stepped directly up to him and offered her lips, which Obi-Wan received in a grateful kiss.

"I'm sorry about your partner, but I'm glad it was him and not you who died out there."

That seemed a rather heartless thing to say, Obi-Wan thought. "I'm not. It didn't have to be either of us. Gar-Ren should've been more careful. We both could've been victors today."

Pad-Me looked up at him curiously, a single brow rising with concern. "Who told you that?"

"No one," Obi-Wan answered immediately. "I had just assumed the winning team.."

She hadn't let him finish before a chuckle issued from her throat and a soft hand caressed his stubbled cheek.

"Obi-Wan, you are so naïve sometimes. Of course there is no winning team. There is only a winning warrior. If you both had won, there would've been an immediate fight-off. Either you or Gar-Ren would've died. I'm just thankful Gar-Ren was brave enough to realize he didn't stand a chance against you, and he did the only thing he could do to save his honor."

Why hadn't Qui-Gon mentioned this before? Obi-Wan was furious with his Master, although he realized the truth wouldn't have made the outcome any different. He still hated the fact that Gar-Ren felt it necessary to sacrifice himself. It just didn't seem right, especially since Obi-Wan didn't feel all that worthy at the moment.

Pad-Me had called him naïve. Perhaps he was, but that was going to end now.

"What happens next?" he asked the young woman who seemed to know more about the rules than he did.

"You'll fight the victor of this evening's battle tomorrow. It will be determined afterward, if the winner of that battle is worthy of an invitation to fight in Upea."

He already knew that much, thanks to Tah-Du. He also knew who was battling tonight: Ro-Du, whom he recalled from the auction, and a warrior no one had expected to advance this far: An older man by the name of Do-Ku. It was rumored Do-Ku used dark magic to inhibit his opponent's abilities, calling upon demons from the underworld to give him strength.

Obi-Wan didn't believe in all of that nonsense, but it didn't matter who he fought the following day, although fighting Ro-Du would give him an advantage. He was already familiar with Ro-Du's fighting style. The man was nothing but muscle and relied heavily upon his own might. He moved as slow as an old xorax.

"I already met the Grand Manager," Obi-Wan explained to Pad-Me as he began to wipe away the sand and dust from his face with a cool, wet towel a servant had offered him.

"Did you?" Pad-Me asked, her eyes dancing about the area, almost as if she were expecting someone. "What did you think?"

"Tah-Du is an exceptional woman. Smart too. I can see why the Avi-Si trusts her to do this job."

Flames appeared behind those beautiful dark eyes, although Obi-Wan didn't understand their significance. Had he said something wrong? Done something to upset her?

"Just do your job, handsome. Impress the crowd and you'll impress her. That's the only way you'll make it to Upea."

Almost as if someone put the lid on a boiling pot, Pad-Me's countenance changed drastically, and she stepped forward into Obi-Wan's open arms, leaning against his shoulder, purring into his ear.

"After tomorrow's battle, you and I will get to enjoy some private time together. I've felt so empty since you left. I need you inside me again. I want you to think about that. Remember Pentari, when I took you in my mouth and then rode you. You're thinking about it now, aren't you?" she murmured seductively, while Obi-Wan could feel the press of her hand against the front of his leathers, his erection leaping up to greet her touch.

"I want you hard and ready when I come to you. I may even let you enter me in the forbidden way."

Obi-Wan shuddered at the thought and when he felt the slide of a hot, wet tongue slide up his neck.

"During your fight tomorrow, think about what we can do together. If you look up into the audience and find me, look closely. I'll be touching myself in preparation for you."

Although his brain was melted, somehow Obi-Wan managed to form a thought, which troubled him. "Tomorrow? What about tonight? I have no plans…"

"But I do. I have to help a friend," Pad-Me announced, pulling out of his embrace entirely. "Tomorrow night, my love."

With a smile, she turned and left Obi-Wan standing alone. It was some time before he could walk away himself without drawing attention to the rather obvious effect she had on him.


	19. Chapter 19

**Chapter Nineteen **

"Well done, Obi-Wan," Tah-Du commented when Obi-Wan walked into the rented room where she and his Master were sitting.

"Yes, well done," Qui-Gon added, although Obi-Wan chose to ignore his Master's statement, bowing curtly to Tah alone.

"Thank you, Madam. I believe my performance today met with the approval of the Avi?" The words came off his tongue like smoldering embers. Obi-Wan was doing his best to restrain his anger, but knew he wouldn't be able to hold it at bay for long.

Tah-Du obviously detected the cynicism in his voice and eyed Qui-Gon warily. "You did well enough, but tomorrow will be the determining battle," she told him.

"About that," Obi-Wan turned toward his Master, forcing a friendly grin on his face. "Qui-Gon can we talk?" he asked, strolling away before even waiting for a reply.

It wasn't too long until the older man met him on the balcony, hopefully out of hearing range of their guest.

"Why didn't you tell me about the fight-off between Gar-Ren and I, if we both lived today?" the young man blurted out.

Qui-Gon stood tall, his head cocked to one side, his arms crossing over his chest. Obi-Wan hated it when he did that. It only proved how stubborn the man actually was.

"I don't see the need in explaining myself now. What does it matter?"

"It matters a great deal!" Obi-Wan shouted, suddenly not caring if Tah-Du heard them or not. She had been on Obi-Wan's side before. Perhaps she would be again. "Gar-Ren was my friend!"

"Which is why it was best you not know the circumstances of the fight."

Obi-Wan's eyes narrowed in resentment. "Of all people, you would think the one who's doing the fighting should know what the fight involves."

"Knowing the details would've only distracted you," Qui-Gon argued. "I was aware of your friendship with the young man, and I'm sorry he died, but I would prefer his death over yours."

"Why?" It was time to get everything out in the open. There were too many questions Obi-Wan could not figure out the answers to. Too much information being kept from him. "Other than losing your ticket to Upea and a life with Tah, why should you care?"

There were many emotions, which crossed Qui-Gon's face while Obi-Wan waited for a response, but when the words finally came, they weren't exactly what he'd been expecting.

"Because when I saw you at that auction, I knew you were meant for something more than being a servant of the Soturi. I could sense it. It's true, I want to spend the remainder of my life with Tah-Du more than anything in this world, and I will do whatever I can to achieve that, but I would never sacrifice you in the process. I do care about you, Obi-Wan, and I know you are capable of achieving all the glory and honor this life has to offer. I want you to have that. I want you to be happy."

Obi-Wan mulled over his Master's words carefully, finding truth in them, as well in the man's deep-set blue eyes. He owed Qui-Gon a lot. If it hadn't been for him, Obi-Wan would still be a slave, toiling away in the desert heat, and he would've never met Pad-Me. But he was tired of being the last one to know about important matters and not being given the opportunity to make decisions about things that affected his own fate.

"I will do my best," he promised the older man, who nodded in silent agreement. "But do me a favor: From this point on, I want to be informed of everything which involves me or my career. And I mean, everything!"

Brows rose high on his Master's forehead.

"I'm serious, Qui-Gon. I want to know," Obi-Wan reiterated strongly.

"Very well, my Soturi," Qui-Gon answered, landing a hand firmly upon his student's shoulder before returning to Tah-Du. "We shall be attending the Ro-Du and Do-Ku battle together this evening, and will be leaving in one tunti," he said over his shoulder, adding one more bit of information which caused Obi-Wan's eyes to roll toward the ceiling. "Consider yourself informed."

* * *

The crowd observing that evening's battle was far more rowdy than the one who had watched his own fight. Obi-Wan decided it was because most of the audience were intoxicated. Strong drink was not served during daytime bouts. Obi-Wan did his best to ignore the rude behavior of those about him and focus upon the fighting styles on display below.

Ro-Du had his hands full with his opponent, Do-Ku, who appeared to be the same age of his Master, but was highly skilled with the sword. The man had the appearance of being educated and already a citizen of Upea. He was well dressed, well-mannered, and appeared to be in control of his emotions.

His opponent on the other hand, Ro-Du appeared savage, and came at Do-Ku with a fierceness Obi-Wan had not witnessed on the auction platform. Ro-Du had improved throughout his journey, but so had Obi-Wan - mentally, as well as physically. However, as the fight continued, some of Obi-Wan's previous surety that he would be facing Ro the following day, was slipping away.

He leaned towards Qui-Gon, wishing to learn more about the distinguished-appearing man. "Who is that, exactly?"

Qui-Gon's eyes narrowed as the battle continued. "Do-Ku was once Manager of this very arena, many tunti ago," Qui-Gon began. "Before that, he trained many Soturi; most of them quite successful. He had a wife once, but she died of blood poisoning."

His Master paused, taking a moment to rub a hand down his bearded chin, at the same time Do-Ku had taken a shot to his right hip, causing him to have to protect the injury from Ro-Du's relentless attack.

"Following her death, Do-Ku presented himself as a Soturi warrior."

Obi-Wan wasn't sure Qui-Gon had finished his tale, since he'd been distracted by the fall of the oversized man who was sitting next to him. Obi-Wan propped the drunkard back into his seat, before returning his attention to the arena, just in time to see Do-Ku disarm his opponent in an amazing display of speed and dexterity. The crowd continued to shout obscenities, cursing both fighters. The whole lot seemed to care less who won or lost this event, probably because both warriors were not from the area, Obi-Wan imagined.

He watched the fight intensely, knowing it was far from over.

"How do you know so much about him?" he asked his Master.

"Because he was the one who trained me."

Qui-Gon's reply once more drew Obi-Wan's attention away from the battle. He would have never guessed his Master once had a relationship with the older man who was currently fighting for his life. Qui-Gon's face was as solemn and serene as it always was. Even when Ro-Du had somehow managed to get a physical grip upon the older man's neck, taking his life in the most intimate way possible - with his bare hands.

The response from the observers was a mixture of cheers and boos, a single joyous celebration standing out from the rest.

Obi-Wan's eyes were drawn to the shrouded individuals who stood next to the manager platform. There were three women there who were cheering loudly and hugging one another. They were obviously fans of Ro-Du, but it wasn't the noise they were making which held Obi-Wan's attention. There was something familiar about the form of one of them. He waited until the particular woman turned, disappointment flaring when he immediately recognized what it was which bothered him.

Pad-Me had told him she had to help out a friend. What was she doing at the arena?

He continued watching the women's overjoyed display, amazed at how different Pad-Me looked in the lantern light. It wasn't the shadows playing across her face, the glow of flame which colored her skin golden, nor the fact she had concealed part of her face with a hooded cloak which altered her appearance. It was the fact that beneath the veil was a big, bright smile - something he had never seen her wear before.

It took a moment for Obi-Wan to make the connection. His heart simply would not accept it.

* * *

Maneuvering against a crowd was usually difficult enough, but moving against the flow of a drunken mob was something else entirely. Not even aware of what he was doing, Obi-Wan spun and sidestepped those who had yet to step into his path, his focus entirely on finding Pad-Me before she left the arena.

He finally spotted the three veiled women outside of the Soturi holding area. They appeared to be in a jovial mood, but he was about to change that for one of them.

"Pad-Me," Obi-Wan called out, stepping toward her quickly.

There was surprise in her eyes, but surely she had expected him to be present this evening.

"Obi-Wan, it's good to see you!" She placed a confusing kiss to each side of his face, holding tightly onto his hand as she twirled to introduce her companions.

"Sa-Be, Ya-Ne, this is Soturi fighter, Obi-Wan. He won his team battle earlier today and will fight Ro-Du tomorrow."

Obi-Wan grinned and nodded an acknowledgement to the two ladies. "Pardon us for a moment," he told them as he moved away with Pad-Me in tow.

"I thought you were helping a friend!"

"I was," Pad-Me replied, her eyes still glittering with her earlier glee. "Sa-Be was ill earlier today, but she had a miraculous recovery and we decided to come to the arena and celebrate."

Obi-Wan wasn't sure what to think. He wanted to believe her, but was finding it rather difficult.

"What is it?" Pad-Me asked him, a hand caressing down his other arm. "Surely you don't think I purposefully avoided you tonight? I did come to the inn and try to find you."

There were a number of bodily reactions which revealed a person was lying Obi-Wan was aware of. Pad-Me was only showing one of them. The hand he was still holding was sweating profusely. He couldn't tell the rest. Her countenance had once more sobered, her pulse rate was slow, and she was holding his gaze quite firmly.

"If you don't believe me, you can ask the owner, Jar-Bin. I spoke with him earlier, and he told me you and Qui-Gon had already left. I was hoping we would run into each other tonight. I wanted to see you so badly."

He had to believe her. What choice did he have? Any other option would destroy him.

"Are you free now? Would you like to walk with me back to the inn?" he asked, the words she had spoken to him earlier in the day once more reverberating in his mind and heating his blood.

"Oh, Obi-Wan, I'm so sorry. I'm expected back at Sa-Be's home. Her parents are the ones who financially supported my visit here to see you, and I have to respect their wishes. They don't want me out this late at night."

Pad-Me's consideration of her benefactor's wishes only added to Obi-Wan's admiration of her, and he finally relaxed, loosening his grip upon her hand. In response, she smiled gently up at him.

"It's all right," he told her. "Shall I see you tomorrow?"

"Absolutely," Pad-Me replied sweetly. "Remember what I told you this morning. I meant every word."

Remember? How could he forget? He was planning on carrying those words with him to his grave.

"I'll see you tomorrow," she promised, tiptoeing up to place a kiss upon his mouth, adding a whisper he felt seep into his soul. "I love you."

"Tomorow," Obi-Wan repeated, all the worry and fear he had held just moments ago evaporating like a drop of water upon the scorching sand.


	20. Chapter 20

**Chapter Twenty **

The dream repeated itself, in every detail the following morning just before Obi-Wan awoke. He lingered in bed long enough for his mind to maintain a grasp on the face of the woman he'd seen, but it was still unclear. He recalled dark eyes, quite similar to Pad-Me's, full lips, and dark hair. But, like most of his visions, the pieces didn't seem to fit. The hair often changed, the eyes were sometimes decorated, sometimes plain. The bits of clothing he had seen altered as well, as did the pitch of her voice.

Once the drowsiness had left him, the dream was replaced with reality. In just a short while, he would be facing Ro-Du. Physically, Obi-Wan believed he was completely prepared. Qui-Gon had taught him well. However, mentally, there was something he needed to do before the battle. Perhaps, he should've done so before, but there had been other things on his mind: namely, his relationship with Pad-Me. But now that it was no longer an issue, now that he knew she loved him, Obi-Wan decided to resolve the problem he could no longer ignore.

He rose and dressed quickly, wandered down the sleeping suite hallway to Qui-Gon's room, where he hoped to find Tah-Du. She was the one Obi-Wan needed to speak with this morning; not his Master.

However, he found the bed empty, retraced his steps back down the arched hall, this time turning into the wide open living space. Through the transparent draperies which fluttered in the light morning breeze, he could see the couple out on the balcony. They were reclining together silently gazing at the rising Avi-Kao suns. It was an intensely peaceful and romantic scene, and one Obi-Wan was hesitant to interrupt, but he had to speak with Tah-Du while he had the opportunity.

"Come join us, Obi-Wan," his Master spoke before he had actually moved into their visual range. He didn't ask how his Master had known he was standing there. Obi-Wan too, often had the ability to do the same.

He stepped out onto the balcony, wishing them both a good morning, before settling upon the separate lounge located to their right.

"What's on your mind?" his Master asked.

Obi-Wan focused entirely on the beautiful woman in Qui-Gon's arms. Even without the aid of paints and powders, she was remarkably good looking.

"I need to speak with Tah-Du about something, before the morning passes and I have to report to the arena, if that's all right."

Tah-Du's brow angled sharply with concern. "What is it?"

Obi-Wan took a deep breath and released it slowly before he continued. "Ro-Du. I've known him for a while - since I was a weapons steward for the Soturi trainees. He's related to you, isn't he? I don't know of any other member of the Du clan, except your brother and yourself. If he is related, I do not wish to cause you any pain if I were to defeat him in battle today..." Obi-Wan paused, suddenly finding the words difficult to speak, even though he had become more than accustomed to the task. "If I were to kill him."

More graciously than Obi-Wan thought possible, Tah smiled gently at him and reached over to take his hand. "Ro-Du is my nephew, though he is not in good standing with our family," she explained. "Without going into personal specifics, let me just say, he made some poor decisions in the past which took him down a path of his own choosing. His fate is of his own design and I, nor my brother Win, have any say in what happens to him. If indeed he meets his death in the arena today, be assured Obi-Wan, the Du family will not hold you accountable. Ro-Du decided to become a Soturi on his own, against the wishes of his father. We are prepared to face the consequences of that decision. Please don't fret on my behalf."

It was if the world contracted and sighed. A heavy burden Obi-Wan had been carrying since becoming aware of this upcoming bout was lifted. Now, all he had to do was defeat Ro-Du in a fashion to impress the public, proceed to Upea and win the championship, putting him in the position of claiming Pad-Me as his wife.

Forget the damn dream and the insane visions, which made no sense to him. He had a life here, and it was finally turning out to be the one he'd always dreamed of.

* * *

"Remember what you've learned, and not just from me," Qui-Gon advised Obi-Wan as he awaited his entrance. "Your experiences in the arena have taught you more than I ever could. Use them in addition to your own instincts. They have served you well in the past and will do so again. You are the most gifted fighter I have ever seen."

Obi-Wan fought the blush which rose to stain his cheeks. Compliments such as these were rare, especially coming from Qui-Gon.

"Do your best, my Soturi."

Obi-Wan beared a confident grin, gripping his shield tightly in one hand and his sword in the other. "I shall make you proud, Master."

"Don't concern yourself with me. Battle for your future, Obi-Wan, and for all those who depend upon you."

All those? Who was he talking about? Obi-Wan was about to ask Qui-Gon to explain, wondering if the man was yet keeping something else from him. Did the man share Obi-Wan's visions as well? Did Qui-Gon know something about his future, Obi-Wan didn't?

"What do you mean all..." Obi-Wan began, only to be cut off mid sentence by a loud, clanging gong, which heralded the start of the next bout.

"It's time," Qui-Gon told him. "I'll be waiting for you in the holding area."

"Yes, Master," Obi-Wan dutifully droned, before focusing upon the large, wooden gate. He stretched the muscles of his neck and shoulders, and as soon as the door swung open, ran out onto the battlefield, swinging his sword as he did so. The crowd seemed split at this point in their support of him. Obi-Wan focused on the third and fourth levels, gazing up and lifting his shield in appreciation for their cheers, nodding to those on the lower levels whose applause was much more restrained.

Those particular observers however, shouted out once Ro-Du had come onto the field, chanting the man's name over and over. While his opponent acknowledged his fans Obi-Wan took inventory of the dark-skinned man. If it were possible Ro-Du's muscular bulk had increased since the last time Obi-Wan had seen him, especially across his chest and arms. Obi-Wan was no fledgling, but he was not half the mass Ro-Du was.

The man was carrying a long sword, with half armor about his waist and left shoulder, probably due to the injury he'd received from the battle the evening prior. Obi-Wan still preferred shoulder and shin armor only and wielded the same short sword he had used since the beginning of his career.

When Obi-Wan had known Ro-Du before, he'd found the man to be arrogant and conceited. That apparently hadn't changed at all.

"Look at you! Little Obi-Wan, Carrier of Shields, Sharpener of Swords. You don't actually think you belong here, do you?"

"I've defeated my share of Soturi, just as you have," Obi-Wan replied, bringing up his sword to defend himself just in case. He'd never quite trusted Ro-Du.

Ro-Du laughed, revealing a row of straight, white teeth. "All under the careful hand of your trainer, Qui-Gon, I presume."

What did he mean by that? "My battles have been dealt just as fairly as yours," Obi-Wan defended strongly.

Ro-Du's dark eyes narrowed, the broad smile turning into more of a smirk. "Your Master is courting the Grand Soturi Manager, the one who is responsible for all the Soturi battles. Of course, she is handpicking your opponents! Why wouldn't she? This way, Tah-Du can ensure she and her lover can finally be together in Upea. Don't be so gullible, Little Scrapper."

Obi-Wan had heard enough. It couldn't be true! The man was just trying to get into his head and damage his performance. However, no matter how his mind told him the information was false, Ro-Du's words bothered him just the same.

When the pair of fighters turned to acknowledge Jar-Bin, Obi-Wan's face bore a frown of concern, although once he had located Pad-Me, his worry lessened and he managed to smile. She appeared so regal today, much more than a barmaid should be able to afford. Perhaps her friend Sa-Be had let her borrow a few things. Obi-Wan was glad she had because Pad-Me looked absolutely stunning. The overlay tunic she wore today was a rose velvet, the jewelry about her neck gold and glittering, as nearly as much as her eyes.

Obi-Wan nodded to her, and was thrilled when she tossed him a kiss from her hand.

Her support was all he was going to need to win this battle, Obi-Wan thought, his joy erupting a surge of adrenaline which drove him forward, attacking Ro-Du with fervor.

Ro-Du chuckled as Obi-Wan shuffled him backward across the sand. "Aggressive today, aren't we Little Scrapper?"

Determined to wipe that stupid grin off Ro-Du's face, Obi-Wan silently continued his attack, smiling himself to discover his plan had worked. Ro-Du's countenance had become much more serious, his focus more in tune with their fight.

Obi-Wan was pleased he had gained the momentum, but was aware that could change at any moment.

It happened when Ro-Du allowed the clashing swords to slide to their hilts and remarkably for a man his size, twisted around to elbow Obi-Wan in the back. Obi-Wan quickly regained his footing just in time to intercept an onslaught of swings and jabs. It seemed as if Ro-Du wanted to end this fight as quickly as possible, but Obi-Wan had other plans. He managed to dodge one sharp angling downsweep, cutting through Ro-Du's forearm, completely wiping any sign of sardonic glee from his opponent's face.

"Let's get this over with," the dark-skinned man muttered through snarled lips, increasing the speed of his attack by double.

However, as things usually occurred at this time in every battle, when the physical world about him increased its tempo, in Obi-Wan's vision, it slowed down substantially. It was this gift the old farmer had tried to explain to him once; his ability to see things before they happened, allowing him time to prepare and adjust his reactions to any dangerous situation. This particular talent had gotten him out of several sticky situations in the past and had kept him alive thus far, despite the many distractions he was constantly tempted with.

Today's temptation was leaning against the balustrade as she watched him fight, the evidence of her worry for his well-being etched upon her features. She was yelling at him, but his warped senses muddled the words.

Even the clanging sound the swords made when they met front and center was amplified, as was the brightness of the spark shooting away from the powerful contact. Obi-Wan was even more aware of the sand which spattered against his legs as he moved, of the single drop of sweat which trickled down the side of Ro-Du's face. Most importantly, however, was the look in his opponent's eye. He had seen it before. It was one which confirmed at first denial and then acceptance of the knowledge that soon the battle would come to end but Ro-Du would not be the victor. There was no possibility Obi-Wan was going to lose on this day.

A thought, he should've guarded much better Obi-Wan decided too late. Arrogance, even when kept to oneself was not a proper quality for a Soturi Champion. His Master had taught him that, and to this day Obi-Wan had not learned the lesson, for in a series of parries and thrusts, Ro-Du had somehow disarmed him, and had swung round to the rear, placing not his sword but an equally dangerous weapon about Obi-Wan's neck.

A thick, muscular arm pressed in on his throat, cutting off Obi-Wan's air supply, but it was the other hand which pressed from the opposite side that caused him the most concern. It was the same maneuver Ro-Du had used on Do-Ku the day before and unless Obi-Wan did something to counter this hold, his neck would be broken, and the battle would be over indeed.

Bending at the waist and pulling against the powerful grip, Obi-Wan strained mightily to tuck his body beneath Ro-Du's elbow, bringing the extremity with him. Obi-Wan heard the shoulder joint pop and then snap, and then heard Ro-Du crying out in pain. The injury had taken the air out of Ro-Du's lungs as well just as he had done to Obi-Wan moments before, giving Obi-Wan the opportunity to retrieve his sword.

Cradling his dislocated and dangling arm, Ro-Du stood proudly and prepared for the incoming deathblow.

"May your passing be swift," Obi-Wan uttered the phrase just before ramming his sword up through Ro-Du's bottom jaw, its tip barely protruding from the top of the man's skull.

Obi-Wan had never reveled in another's death, did not celebrate his win as some others did. The loss of a life was tragic, and he shuddered as he saw Ro-Du's ownpass from him; the once radiant gaze turning cloudy just before the man fell forward, tumbling to the sand as a great crumbling pillar of stone.

In increments, Obi-Wan's awareness returned to his surroundings and the cacophony of cheers and chants from the crowd which boiled up from the arena. He had little care of what the audience thought of his performance, even though it had much to do with his future. His concern was with a single individual watching him from above.

However, when Obi-Wan gazed up to where Pad-Me had been, he noted her seat had been vacated. He could not see her anywhere.


	21. Chapter 21

**Chapter Twenty-One**

"Obi-Wan, we can no longer tarry. The caravan headed to Upea is waiting. Tah is waiting."

Qui-Gon called out to his Soturi who had been standing at the foot of the steps leading to the inn for nearly half the day. Apparently, the young woman who had promised to meet him hadn't showed, and time had run out.

When he had introduced Pad-Me to Obi-Wan back in Pentari, Qui-Gon was hoping she would help him lose some of his inhibitions and teach him relax to where he could open up to the world and be more outgoing. Qui-Gon had never intended for their friendship to turn into something so obsessive.

Being invited to the capital to battle in the Grand Arena was something every Soturi wished for and worked so diligently for. However, when Tah-Du shared the news with Obi-Wan, telling him he would be fighting there, the young man had revealed very little emotional response. Instead, he disappeared for a while, only to return and take up a stance on the lowest step, maintaining his focus upon the distant streets for the rest of the day.

Throughout his training, Obi-Wan had always been honest, respectful, and well mannered. Unlike his other Soturi, he'd never caused Qui-Gon one moment of grief or discomfort. However, if the young man didn't hurry up and come on, Qui-Gon would be forced to create a scene by physically dragging Obi-Wan to the wagon.

Thankfully, that didn't happen, and Obi-Wan turned to join he and Tah, stepping up into the royal carriage Tah had acquired for them. The seats were cushioned, and even had a draped covering to block the suns' rays and to add privacy. The oversized wheels were balanced and hinged to provide the most comfortable ride.

Luxury. Qui-Gon was so looking forward to it.

With his Soturi on his way to participate in the Championship Battles and Tah-Du by his side, Qui-Gon thought nothing could be more perfect. If only Obi-Wan didn't appear to damn miserable.

"What's her name?" Tah asked just as the vehicle lurched forward, the city of Nu-Pea passing beyond the curtained windows.

"Pad-Me," was the succinct reply before Obi-Wan returned to the view.

"Was she supposed to meet you?"

Tah's questioning would no doubt continue until she had managed to get him to talk. Obi-Wan may be in love, but he wasn't blind. Although he wasn't in the mood to discuss the situation, Tah-Du had never been anything but kind to him. And besides, Qui-Gon was starting to glare at him with his own sense of disappointment.

"Yes," he answered. "She told me she would meet in the holding area after the fight. She obviously didn't show up."

"Perhaps," Tah paused with consideration, "perhaps something happened to detain her. I don't mean something awful. But maybe she had a family matter to attend to, or some other obstacle prevented her from coming. Don't be so quick to think ill of her, Obi-Wan."

"Her family is back in Pentari. She came here only through the generous nature of a local benefactor – a friend of the family."

"Is that where you went this afternoon? To see if she was there with them?"

The woman was not only good looking, but she was quite observant. Obi-Wan had believed not even Qui-Gon had noticed his disappearance. He and Tah had been, after all, quite…busy. He had left the inn, traveled north past the arena and searched for the girl, Sa-Be, and her parents to no avail. No one in that part of Nu-Pea had even heard of her.

"I tried," Obi-Wan admitted. "But I was unable to find the home, and nobody seemed to recognize the name."

"What is her friend's name?"

"I believe it was Sa-Be." Obi-Wan answered, watching the silent visual byplay between Tah and his Master. Tah knew something. "What is it? Do you know her?"

"I know the name, but it has to be a coincidence. The Sa-Be I know wouldn't be in Nu-Pea watching a Soturi battle and her family doesn't live there. They reside in Upea. She couldn't have received permission either. Passes out of the city are only granted for special occasions and are quite rare. I'm sure it wasn't the same girl."

"There is only one thing you can do now, Obi-Wan," Qui-Gon advised. "Win the championship."

"If you want to see Pad-Me again, you must," Tah added. "No outside visitors other than Soturi participants are allowed in Upea. For her to be given permission, you will have to win, and then offer to marry her within the city's walls."

"I'm willing to do that," Obi-Wan admitted boldly after gathering the confidence he had in his feelings for the girl, amazed at how Pad-Me was able to turn his world completely inside out in a day.

"Are you?" Tah-Du asked. "Are you willing to join your life with another whom you know so little about and haven't actually known for that long?"

"I've already asked her," Obi-Wan told them, not missing nor caring how shocking his news was to them.

Qui-Gon leaned forward in his seat, clasping his hands in front of him, his face creased with concern. "And what was her answer?"

"She hasn't given me one yet, but I love her, Master."

"And does she return your affections?" Tah asked.

"Yes, she does," Obi-Wan replied, fondly recalling the way she held him and whispered the words into his ear following the Ro-Du versus Do-Ku battle. He also recalled how quickly that declaration had eliminated all his anger with her.

"Then, everything will be all right. Don't worry, my dear," Tah soothed Obi-Wan's worry with her soft-spoken voice and sympathetic gaze. "Love sometimes works miracles."


	22. Chapter 22

**Chapter Twenty-Two**

Qui-Gon was laughing at him, but Obi-Wan didn't care. He knew the reason was that he was hanging out the window, his mouth agape like a pekira, but he couldn't help it. Never in his wildest imaginations had he envisioned anything as grand and impressive as Upea – and they had only just now passed through guarded entrance.

Four, heavily armored and armed men stood at the pillars of the heavy iron double-gate which was hinged to stone walls at least six meters tall and a little over a meter thick. Just beyond the gate began a road which appeared to be a single layer of white and gray marble, lined by a tall marble sculptures representing every single Soturi who had become champion since the beginning of the Battles.

Beyond the sculptures stood buildings as radiant and gleaming as the walls themselves; bright and shining white in the suns' light. There were rows and rows of trees with pale pink fruit hanging from their branches, and gardens - lush green gardens beside every single home.

The further into Upea they traveled, the more elaborate the buildings became, reaching three or more levels, with carriages as luxurious as the one belonging to Tah-Du's, parked in front of each dwelling.

There were no beggars on the streets, no taverns, no slave markets, and not a grain of sand within sight.

Indeed, this was paradise.

The most impressive sight to behold was at the top of the rise, where the walls began once again, only half the height as before, encircling a roundabout lined with flowering hedges. In the center of the circular drive was a massive fountain with four separate levels. An impressive amount of crystal clear water ran down from each tier, spouting from the mouths of water-dwelling creatures Obi-Wan had only heard about in stories.

At the top of the structure was a statue of the current Avi: The Avi-Si. A relatively older gentleman with a balding scalp pushing back a heavy mass of hair, a regal nose, and piercing eyes. The carving depicted him holding a ledger and a scale, representing the fact this particular Avi came to rule through the power of his mind and the wealth of his family.

Obi-Wan nervously eyed the representation as they passed. He had best get used to the features of the man quickly, for soon, he would be presented to the Avi himself.

"Bow to one knee," Tah-Du was telling him, forcing Obi-Wan to pull his head back into the carriage. "You may look at the Avi once addressed, but only look at him. Maintain your focus and do not let your eyes stray, not to his family, nor to his staff. He will consider that most disrespectful."

"Yes, Madam," Obi-Wan replied.

"I will do all the talking for the Soturi once we have arrived, and that includes you, Qui-Gon," she winked at his Master, causing Obi-Wan's mouth to lift in a grin.

Qui-Gon was often a man of few words, but even then, he liked to maintain a sense of control in any situation, or at least to give the appearance he was in control.

"As you wish," Qui-Gon told her as the carriage came to a halt just in front of an enormous set of stone steps, leading up to the largest structure Obi-Wan had ever seen. If he wasn't mistaken, the entry doors were made of gold, as were the pillars which spread across the first level.

Obi-Wan took a deep breath and followed his Master and Tah-Du up those many steps, finally reaching the top, where they were greeted by a dark-skinned man dressed in tunics of dark blue and deep red, the sweeping cloth about his shoulders held with a golden clasp bearing the royal insignia of the Avi.

"Welcome to Upea," the man addressed Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan. "I am General Pa-Na and will escort you to the throne room. The Avi is looking forward to meeting you."

They followed the General in silence as they strode through the entryway. Obi-Wan's gaze wandered as they walked, noting the golden ornaments along the ceiling, the rich tapestries lining the walls, and the velvet-covered furniture. There were fountains in this area as well, though not nearly as impressive as the one outside.

"Come, Obi-Wan." It was Qui-Gon who called for his attention as they reached a mighty wooden door of a rich hue, carved with a variety of scenery about Upea.

General Pa-Na pushed the doors open wide, and Obi-Wan and his Master, led by Tah, followed him inside.

At the end of a long, plush red carpet was a platform, and at the top of it was a golden throne. On that throne sat the Avi-Si, ruler of Upea and the entirety of Avi-Kao.

Obi-Wan did as he was instructed and went down to one knee in front of the platform, his eyes cast to the golden floor as Tah-Du began to speak.

"Your Highness, may I present to you Soturi Obi-Wan who hails from Taresh, and his esteemed Master, Qui-Gon from Tembro."

"Welcome to Upea and congratulations," the Avi greeted them warmly, though Obi-Wan could sense a slight amount of disdain in his voice.

Following his Master's lead, Obi-Wan lifted his gaze, deciding the face matched the voice. Not yet an elder, but soon to be one, the Avi-Si was gray-haired with beady eyes like a sand serpent and a narrow, but hooked nose. He was dressed as Obi-Wan had expected in multiple layers of rich red and white cloth, with golden cords and belts, a large golden pendant hanging about his neck. Across his forehead was a single golden band.

"I see you managed to procure your long, lost love, Tah-Du," the Avi noted with a prideful smirk. "May he have the wherewithal this time to not abandon you."

The emperor's words seemed spiteful to Obi-Wan, and if he didn't know better, he would say the man didn't care for his Master at all, but perhaps his health was bad. He certainly had the look of someone who was suffering from type of ailment. Not quite frail, but pale, wrinkled, and unhappy.

Obi-Wan maintained eye contact with the Avi even as he leaned over to whisper to General Pa-Na, who quickly exited the platform afterward.

"I have heard fantastic tales about your battles, Soturi," Avi-Si said to Obi-Wan.

"He is worthy to be presented, I assure you," Tah-Du assured him.

The gaze upon Obi-Wan turned nearly menacing, almost as if the Avi was trying to read his thoughts, until the emperor's attention was turned away to a sudden activity at the exit General Pa-Na had used.

Through the drapery appeared two young women Obi-Wan could not keep from taking a quick glance at. Since the Avi's own gaze had been averted, Obi-Wan didn't think it would hurt to take a quick look himself.

However, what Obi-Wan saw captured and held his attention like the chains which had once confined him in The Pit.

Her name bubbled up from his heart and escaped his lips in a murmur of total disbelief before he could stop it.

"Pad-Me."

Obi-Wan wasn't sure if the Avi had heard him, but since he hadn't been scolded or beheaded for the betrayal, he assumed he had not. Obi-Wan quickly returned his focus back to the emperor, using only the edges of his vision to confirm what he thought he'd seen.

It couldn't be her. It just couldn't be!

"My daughter, the Avi-Ami," the emperor announced. "Ami, allow me to introduce this season's Soturi; Obi-Wan, and his trainer, Qui-Gon. Of course, you already know Tah-Du."

"Yes, Father," the young woman spoke causing Obi-Wan's world to begin to spin out of control.

It was her face, it was her voice!

"Welcome to Upea," she said calmly as Obi-Wan cast his eyes back to the floor. "I hope your stay here will not be a brief one, and that your victory will bring you many days with us."

"Thank you, your majesty," Obi-Wan heard Qui-Gon say, and he followed up with his own words of appreciation, although he wasn't sure if he managed to speak them out loud.

Obi-Wan hadn't even been aware his Master and Tah-Du had risen from the floor, but it didn't matter, because his knees weren't cooperating. He couldn't move, even when prompted to rise by Qui-Gon himself.

In fact, it took his Master's assistance to lift him from the floor and to stand on legs Obi-Wan wasn't sure would hold his weight.

"The young man is obviously overwhelmed by our presence," the emperor said, although the words were muddled in Obi-Wan's hearing as the room continued to tilt.

"Walk, Obi-Wan."

He'd understood that, and did as his Master demanded, only to collapse once he'd stepped outside of the throne room.


	23. Chapter 23

**Chapter Twenty-Three **

"My apologies, Obi-Wan. I didn't know she was royalty. Obviously, she fooled us both."

The young man appeared to be getting over the shock of the Avi-Ami's appearance, standing upright once more and resuming a more regular breathing pattern. "It's all right, Master," he told Qui-Gon. "I was just surprised to see her...in that capacity, that's all. I'm fine."

Qui-Gon grinned at his student, clapping his Soturi upon the shoulder. "You could've done worse for yourself. Falling in love with the Avi-Si's daughter, and you say she loves you as well? Congratulations, Obi-Wan. Well done."

Tah-Du hated to be the Bringer of Bad Tidings, but they both needed to know. She needed to tell them.

"I'm afraid that's not the way it is," she informed Qui-Gon, distraught to be the cause of concern presently creasing Obi-Wan's brow. "She was born right after you left, Qui. I'm afraid she was spoiled as a child, and did not receive the proper care and attention she needed. Win-Du and I did our best to advise her, but she would not listen. She grew up as a conceited and selfish young woman."

No, this couldn't be possible! Surely, Tah was not talking about the Pad-Me he'd met in Pentari, the one who spent half the night talking to Obi-Wan about her dreams and desires, and the other half making love to him. Unless, she had been deceiving him the entire time. But he would've known if she was lying, wouldn't he?

"That doesn't mean she's incapable of falling in love, Tah," Qui-Gon interrupted. "Perhaps Obi-Wan changed her mind."

"I wish that were true," Tah continued trying to explain, having difficulty finding words to ease the pain, which was sure to come once Obi-Wan heard everything. "Ami is the reason my nephew left Upea."

It wasn't getting any easier. Both men, especially Obi-Wan, were looking as if they were standing on the edge of a crumbling cliff, waiting to fall to their deaths.

"Ro-Du and Ami fell in love, but her father, the Avi-Si, forbid the relationship. It is written, the offspring of the Avi may only wed another member of the royal family, or a champion of the Soturi."

"So, the only way Ami and Ro-Du could be together, was if he became a Soturi and win the Grand Battle." Qui-Gon finished for her.

"And I killed him," Obi-Wan noted gravely, amazing Qui-Gon with his forebearance and tolerance. Avi-Ami had even lied to him! A barmaid indeed!

"That does not give her the right to take advantage of my Soturi."

"No, it doesn't," Tah-Du agreed with Qui-Gon, frustration and anger rising from deep within. "I'll go speak with her."

"No," Obi-Wan spoke up, "I don't want to get you into any trouble with the Avi...or his daughter."

Somewhere, there was a kind and decent, unselfish young woman who would truly fall in love with Obi-Wan. Tah-Du not only hoped for it, she knew it would happen. His concern over her well-being instead of his own troubles warmed her heart and brought a smile to her face.

"Don't worry about me. Standing in place of my brother, I am after all, third in power in Upea." Tah-Du added a wink with her announcement to try and lessen the tension written on the young man's face, although it did very little to quell the storm brewing within herself.

She left the two men standing outside the throne room and circled round past the atriums, her feet stepping quickly across mosaic floors and into the courtyard just outside the royal suites. Before reaching the private bed chambers, she paused, able to recognize the loud voice of Ami. Not prone to eavesdrop, the irregularity of the situation gave her no choice, and Tah-Du stood to one side of the doorway and listened.

_"You saw his insolence for yourself, Father! He should not be here! Tah-Du erred in her judgment and you are going to overlook that as well? Since when did the decision of a servant to the throne outweigh that of the Emperor? I demand satisfaction! I demand the Posata!" _

There was long silence following her outburst, and Tah-Du backed away, just as the Avi-Si exited. He noticed her presence immediately, stopped, looked up to the sky as if perhaps consulting the wishes of his long-dead wife, and then faced Tah, his blue eyes clouded, the wrinkles in his face deepening.

"I did my best," he said softly, "but I fear after her mother's death, I gave in too much to her whims. I should've never insisted on having a child so late in my life."

"She is a beautiful young lady, Avi," Tah-Du responded politely, at the moment incapable of composing any other compliment other than one for her physical appearance.

Obviously realizing her difficulty, the elder ruler smiled wisely and walked away slowly.

Tah-Du watched him go, her heart filled with a tender sorrow for him. Avi-Ami had been a difficult child, and seemed to be determined to cause an equal amount of trouble for her father as a young adult. If the Avi did not make the effort to check her, she would not be fit to rule.

Prepared to confront the young woman, Tah-Du moved to enter the room, stopping short yet again when another conversation erupted, this time occurring between Ami and her faithful maiden, Sa-Be.

_"I told you it was a bad idea. You should've left it alone, Ami! Ro suspected, and his anger with you due to your flirtations with the other Soturi is what caused him to lose the battle!" _

_"You have a brave tongue for a servant," she heard Ami hiss. _

_"You wouldn't listen to me then, so perhaps you'll listen to me now. Leave it alone. Let that young man be! Interfering any more will only bring you more grief." _

_"Not once he's dead!" _

Tah chose at that moment to intrude. She'd heard enough.

"Obi-Wan is the bravest and most competent Soturi I have ever witnessed," she declared strongly. "Despite your attempts at distracting him, he defeated Ro-Du fairly and soundly. I have no doubt he will become the next champion. Sa-Be was right. You should not have interfered. You are the one who killed Ro-Du, not Obi-Wan."

"You're not always as correct as you think you are, Tah," the young woman spewed angrily. "Even when I was young, and you were nothing but a servant of my father's, you somehow always felt it necessary to correct me - to embarrass me in front of my subjects."

Ami stepped forward as she spoke, but Tah held her ground. She had very little respect for this young woman. Only the respect for her father kept her from physically giving her the beating she deserved.

"Let me warn you, Tah," Ami continued. "When I am Avi-Ami, Emperor of Upea and of all Avi-Kao, I will no longer tolerate such behavior. You speak to me in such a manner again or betray me with your eyes like you are doing now, I will have your head."

"You took advantage of a young man's heart," Tah spoke sweetly, tightly reining in the angry outburst wanting desperately to escape. "You used him for your own purposes. You hurt him. And yet, he will rise. He will become something great, despite your efforts."

"That's what you think," Ami smiled wickedly. "My father is declaring Posata, and as you and I both know, no Soturi has ever survived it. Ever. Be sure to share that with your _lover_."

The last remark was spoken with such ridicule and disdain, Tah-Du was forced to bolt from the room. If she hadn't, the Avi-Ami would most likely be dead and Qui-Gon would be alone. Again.

But not for long.


	24. Chapter 24

**Chapter Twenty-Four**

The look on Qui-Gon's face after Tah-Du told him the bad news could only be described as crestfallen. He did his best to gather his courage, however, even in the face of such devastation, forcing a small smile to appear.

"It is true, no Soturi has survived the Posata. Perhaps, Obi-Wan shall be the first," Qui-Gon announced assuredly, although Tah-Du was aware his words did not hold much weight. She could see the fear in his eyes, and noted the way his shoulders drooped just a bit with disappointment.

When it came to the Avi-Ami, experience told Tah, her position actually meant very little. Tah-Du had always been a favorite of the Emperor, but even that would not win an audience with him, nor would not alter his view and go against a decision his own daughter had made. Tah-Du would attempt it, but knew the effort would be fruitless.

However, she was hoping, for the sake of their love, the Avi-Si would grant her other request.

"Qui-Gon, there's something else I need to discuss with you." The seriousness of her tone caused a new expression of dread to appear, although Tah-Du was hoping her request would lessen his burden.

"We have this one opportunity which indeed may prove to be our last. I have an idea on a way to secure our future, if you will agree to it, that is." She was procrastinating and she knew it. Qui-Gon apparently realized it as well, and reached forward to take her hand in an effort to relieve some of her obvious discomfort.

Tah-Du breathed deeply. They had never discussed the matter, but surely, he would see the logic behind it.

One more deep breath, her courage bolstered by the supportive gaze of the man she loved.

"I think we should marry. Go before the Avi-Si today – right now, and ask his permission. Then, no matter what the future holds for us, we cannot be separated. You will automatically be granted citizenship, and can stay here in Upea…with me. If that's what you want."

Eyebrows rose high on his regal features, and for a fraction, Tah-Du worried he may actually decline, but when Qui-Gon stepped forward and took her face in his hands her heart filled with the relief, evidence of joy glittering in his gorgeous blue eyes.

"Of course that's what I want. It's what I've always wanted. I would've asked you twenty tunti ago, but didn't think you would've agreed."

Tah kept her reply to that statement to herself. What good would it do to tell him now that her answer would've been yes? That they could've avoided all the heartache and longing they had both suffered for so long?

Instead, she smiled warmly, and tilted her head to receive his incoming kiss.

"Your answer is yes, then?" she whispered once the kiss had ended.

"If it is your wish, then yes, I will marry you, my darling Tah."

* * *

The golden band about Qui-Gon's finger felt so right, but the burden he carried in his heart was anything but comfortable.

Throughout Obi-Wan's career, Qui-Gon had felt the need to protect his Soturi, which at times meant guarding him from hearing any unnecessary information which would inhibit his success in the arena.

The news at this moment, however, could not be withheld. Obi-Wan needed to know what he was about to face in the arena, and what that meant to him. He hadn't been lying when he told Tah-Du he believed Obi-Wan could be the first Soturi to face the Posata challenge and win. It was possible. Unlikely, but possible.

In any event, Obi-Wan also needed to know that he no longer had to worry about his old Master. Qui-Gon's future was secure. He would live out his days happily with the woman of his dreams, regardless of the outcome of tomorrow's battle.

Obi-Wan needed to know this, because for the first time in his career, a win would be for his own sake, and only his.

Qui-Gon had told his Soturi to go to the building adjoining the palace, where the Du clan resided. He'd been told his friend, Win, was in the upper levels, and was keeping to his bed. Having gotten ill some time ago, apparently, the word of his son's death had only worsened his condition. Qui-Gon would go visit him tomorrow, after the battle was complete.

Right now, his focus was on Obi-Wan, whom he found in the salon of Tah-Du's residence, studying an ancient vase that was most likely worth more than his entire life's income.

"Obi-Wan, we need to talk," he announced upon entering the room, noting the young man's countenance was quite calm, his features almost solemn.

"I already know what you're going to say," the warrior told him, carefully placing the artifact back to its location. "Pad-Me...the Avi-Ami took advantage of me to try and give Ro-Du every advantage of winning. I figured it out."

"I never doubted you would," Qui-Gon commented, taking a seat and offering one to Obi-Wan. This was now his residence as well, and he might as well get used to it.

"Your dealings with Ami is not what I need to discuss with you," Qui-Gon tried to explain as Obi-Wan sat down before him, his eyes immediately drawn to Qui-Gon's clasped hands.

"You and Tah-Du have shared your vows, I see," the young man noted, a small grin curving his mouth. "Congratulations, Master. I'm happy for you both."

"That's generous of you, Obi-Wan." It wasn't exactly the topic he wished to open up with, but nevertheless, Obi-Wan needed to be aware of his nuptials. "Tah and I decided to go ahead and marry right away instead of waiting."

The boy was insightful as well as observant. Given time, Qui-Gon knew his Soturi would figure everything out on his own, but he wanted to be the one to say the words. He needed to hear it from his own lips.

"I'm afraid Avi-Ami is quite vengeful and has convinced her father to proclaim Posata. I know you've heard of it, and let me assure you, Tah is going to do all she can to convince the Emperor to change his mind."

"So there is to be but one battle," Obi-Wan asked.

Qui-Gon shook his head in confirmation."At tomorrow's eve."

"And who, or should I say _what_ will I be fighting?"

The thought of that little vixen treating his Soturi so unfairly was making Qui-Gon sick to his stomach. "That remains to be seen. The announcement will come right before the event and no sooner, I'm afraid."

"I see."

Obi-Wan was silent, leaning forward, his elbows on his knees, appearing pensive, and somber, but not upset. The young man had an impressive ability to gain control over his emotions, and no doubt had performed some type of exercise to do just that while Qui-Gon had been away with Tah.

"Don't lose hope, Obi-Wan," Qui-Gon told him. "And try not to worry about it tonight. Tomorrow will provide a fresh outlook, and we will face whatever is in store for us, together."


	25. Chapter 25

**Chapter Twenty-Five**

Far past the village of Taresh, where Obi-Wan was born, beyond the mountains of Kallo, lie the Hiekia plains. Not many lifeforms thrive in that region, but one: The massive rankor. Averaging six meters tall, they are the deadliest beasts in Avi-Kao, their sole purpose to kill and eat. He'd always been told the only reason the entire population of Avi-Kao had not been eliminated by them was because of the Kallo mountains, which essentially confined the rankor to the plains.

Obi-Wan couldn't imagine how such a feat were possible, but two of them had apparently been captured, brought to Upea, and at the present time, were waiting in the arena for him.

So, this was his fate - the plan of the woman he once thought he loved. They had, at one time, shared passion and dreams, but now her only desire was apparently to exact her revenge by serving Obi-Wan upon a platter to be devoured by rankor. And not just any rankor, but a mated pair. They were far more vicious when mated, he'd been told.

One peek through the iron gate standing between he and the ferocious beasts was all it took to convince Obi-Wan there was very little chance for a victory this day. It seemed as if the Avi-Ami had won.

However, winning isn't everything and only change brings the opportunity Obi-Wan needed.

Before now, Obi-Wan had been unwilling to change, to let go of what he had assumed was his destiny: His commitment to Qui-Gon, to being a Soturi, his future with Pad-Me. They were all of little value now.

Qui-Gon no longer needed him to win. His assurance lay with Tah-Du and the golden band about his finger. He was safe.

As far as Obi-Wan's career as a Soturi, that will end as soon as he steps foot in that arena.

And Pad-Me? Pad-Me was not who he thought she was, and someone he really didn't care to know – nor see in the streets of Upea even if a miracle occurred and he became Champion.

No. A change is what was required, and there was only one way at this point to achieve it.

Quieting his mind and slowing his breathing, Obi-Wan allowed the peace of meditation to flow through him, lifting his spirits, calming his soul, and providing such an opportunity.

It was the door he had seen on many occasions before, only this time, through either the openness of his mind or his willingness to let go, he noted a latch.

He no longer cared about those in the stands chanting his name, about his Master waiting outside the arena to hear the results of his battle, nor of Tah-Du in the stands saying a prayer to whatever gods she believed in to ensure his survival. He especially did not care about the celebratory smirk on the Avi-Ami's face, as she impatiently waited his entrance, and giddily looked forward to his death.

There was something else out there – someone else who would care, and it was this someone who needed his help.

Obi-Wan reached out for the handle, finding it to be firm and cool in his grasp. He did not pay any mind to the sound of the golden trumpet announcing the battle had begun.

He twisted the mechanism and pushed open the wooden door, while thousands of Upea citizens focused upon the swinging iron gate, only to be disappointed and confused, when Obi-Wan was not there.

He didn't hear the angry yell of the Avi-Ami, nor the roar of the hungry rankor, for he had stepped forward into another world - a world without sand, overwhelming heat, or beasts waiting to devour him.

He opened his eyes to see that below his feet was wet, soft grass, and over his head were trees – branches and branches of leafy green casting drops of water upon his head and face.

Obi-Wan breathed deeply, inhaling the cool, humid air which acted as a salve to his lungs, and stood for some time allowing the moisture to seep into his parched skin.

Somewhere above him were birds. He could hear their chirping and chattering, but he couldn't see them.

Beside him ran a tiny, bright green, long-legged serpent, who skittered along the leafy undergrowth in search of a proper hiding place.

It all would've been peaceful except for the clap of thunder not caused by any storm. It was the sound of war, and Obi-Wan had already become familiar with it, having listened to it and witnessed its effects for many years, if only in his visions.

He knew this place. He knew why he was here.

Gripping his sword and shield tightly in his hands, Obi-Wan set out to locate the battle. Once he found it, he knew he'd find Her.

**~ End of Part One ~ **

* * *

**Author's Note**: I told you that story, so I can tell you this one. ;) I decided Part Two is going to be a continuation of "Soturi," under the same title and will begin with Chapter 26. I will summarize it differently in that chapter, as well as give a brief descipription of what has already occurred.

Special thanks to everyone who is reading and especially reviewing. I hope you stick around for the rest. (True obidala goodness is on its way!)


	26. Chapter 26

**Title: **Soturi - Part II

**Author: **Ticklesivory

**Pairing: **Obi-Wan and Padmé

**Genre: **Action/Romance

**Summary**: If for some reason, anyone has started reading this story at this point, I must insist you return to the beginning (Part I) and read that first. Otherwise, Part II will make absolutely no sense! And the following will definitely be a spoiler for the first part of this story!

**Highlights of Part I: **If you recall, Obi-Wan, having been trained by Qui-Gon to become a Soturi Warrior, has earned the right to participate in the Grand Battle in the capital city of Upea. On his way there, he meet a young woman by the name of Pad-Mé, whom he falls madly in love with. However, once he arrives in Upea, he discovers she is actually the daughter of the Avi-Si, the emperor of Avi-Kao. She is called Avi-Ami, and she is pissed, since Obi-Wan killed her lover, Ro-Du. Bent on exacting her revenge, she convinces her father to proclaim an edict, which modifies the Final Battle to a single event. She ensures Obi-Wan will lose this battle by having him face two enormous beasts called rankor. However, instead of appeasing her by fighting and dying, Obi-Wan chooses to escape. As far back as he can remember, Obi-Wan has been experiencing visions and dreams of an unfamiliar place, as well as fractured images of a beautiful, vaguely familiar face. The woman in his visions is troubled and needs his help. Deciding he has no other option at this point, Obi-Wan chooses to finally pass through the portal and boldly steps into another world.

**Part II: **Obi-Wan has left Avi-Kao, unsure of what he will face, but prepared to fight yet again, although, this time for a much higher purpose.

**Warnings: **I'm going to keep Part II at a T rating, although I have a feeling there will be some romantic/sexual interludes later on. I'll try to keep it clean.

**Author's Note: **I finally figured out how to put the superscript above the é in WordPad! (don't have Word at work and cannot stand Open Office) Padmé will now be properly typed! Special thanks to Pronker – for continued guidance and understanding of my occasional rants.

* * *

**Chapter Twenty Six**

Obi-Wan struggled to maneuver the jungle, using his sword to cut a path through the thick underbrush of thorny vines and fallen branches. He finally managed to come to a small rise, stopping just short of plummeting off a steep cliff. Peering over the side of the rise, he could see an abundance of water flowing along a river, which was fed by an enormous amount of water falling into it. His dreams had never included such a fantastic view, and it momentarily took his breath away.

Looking down from his viewpoint, just past the majestic falling water, jutted up buildings, topped with domed roofs which appeared to be made from copper. In the center of the distant city stood a massive structure, he assumed was the palace. Leading up to the great stairway in front of the building was a wide stone path, lined with carriages of steel. In front of those were the piles of bodies he'd seen – smoke rising from their scorched remains, guarded by thin soldiers covered with pale armor. They held weapons he was not familiar with and could not see clearly from this distance.

It was to the palace Obi-Wan needed to go. He wasn't sure why, but somehow the knowledge was already inside him, either from a part of the dream he could not recall, or through words she had spoken.

By the time he had reached the outskirts of the city, his boots were sodden, and the simple white tunic beneath his leathers was dirty and torn. From this closer view, he could see everything much clearer, and could smell the pungent odor of the burning bodies.

If he stayed just outside the row of stone structures, he could perhaps sneak into the palace unnoticed, and discover her inside.

However, his plan was not going to be as simple as he had thought. The crack of branches behind him, warned him someone was approaching. Obi-Wan spun, ready to lop off the heads of those opposing him, only to be stunned to inactivity when he got a good look at the soldiers he had seen on the city street.

They weren't human, but they moved as if they were, their joints whirring and clicking upon their approach.

Most amazingly, they spoke, even though they had no mouths. Their voices were shrill and metallic, and he couldn't understand a single syllable.

"_Hands up, Nabooan scum." _

Unsure of what the command was, Obi-Wan held his sword ready, focusing on the strange weapons pointing directly at him; of which there were six. A defensive plan began to form, with each move specifically outlined in his mind, consisting of a variety of strikes that would disarm every single one of the metal beings. However, Obi-Wan didn't have a chance to initiate it before a sharp pain in his side doubled him over, and another vision blurred the design.

_Avi-Ami stood in the royal box, rage coloring her face red, her demands loudly spoken. _

_"The Soturi is a coward and refuses to fight! He has fled! There must be a battle! The citizens will have satisfaction! Protocol demands the Soturi Trainer fight in his place! He is the one who should be held responsible!" _

_Helpless, Obi-Wan listened as the population of Upea shouted their agreement to the Avi-Ami's suggestion, much to the despair of Tah-Du, who was forced to endure what was about to happen, powerless to stop it. _

_Escorted by the Royal Guard, Qui-Gon was thrust through the metal gate, having been tossed a single sword. He wore no armor. The two rankor roared in satisfaction, knowing sustenance had finally been provided, and they approached their prey, strings of saliva hanging from their mighty jaws. Qui-Gon battled fiercely, actually managing to bring one of the beasts to its knees before succumbing to the powerful grip of another. Between the pair, however, they made a quick meal of his Master, crunching through bones quite easily with their rows of sharp teeth. _

The passing of Qui-Gon in such a violent manner, deeply affected Obi-Wan from the inside out in a way he couldn't understand. He purged his morning meal upon the ground before falling forward into darkness.

* * *

**Author's Note:** Sorry about that. :( The Muse demanded a sacrifice. Consider it a payment for Obi-Wan's passage. Hang in there readers, Obi-Wan's life is about to improve rather dramatically.


	27. Chapter 27

**Author's Note: **To keep things straight in my own head, the italicized dialogue is the part Obi-Wan is not understanding.

* * *

**Chapter Twenty-Seven **

_"What's he saying?" _

_"Something about a qui gon." _

_"What's a qui gon? Is that a person, place, or thing?" _

_"I don't know, Rab_é_. Just make sure he's comfortable. He's obviously been through some sort of trauma." _

_"But he doesn't have any injuries." _

_"External ones, you mean." _

_"Yan_é, _w__hat's that supposed to mean?"  
_

_"It means he's injured on the inside. In his mind. He's mental!"_

_"Captain...don't be ridiculous." _

_"I'm not. I'm being completely serious. Look at the way he's dressed. Listen to what he's saying." _

_"So what if he's wearing durasteel plating and is speaking in a foreign language? That just means he's not from around here, not that he's crazy."_

_"Padm_é, _what's wrong?" _

_"Nothing." _

_"You can't fool us. Be honest. You look like you've seen a spirit or something." _

"I...I think I know him."

* * *

One by one, Obi-Wan's senses began returning to him following the emotional overload he'd experienced before. He wasn't sure what had caused him to retch and then completely black out, but just prior to the episode, his mind felt as if it were being torn in two, a part of him being physically ripped away. The pain was so intense, it had completely overwhelmed him. Now, all he felt was numbness and grief.

Qui-Gon had been killed and it was no one's fault but his. He never should've left. He should've faced the destiny that was obviously meant for him, not his Master.

A short distance from where he was, Obi-Wan could hear voices arguing. The varying tones and echoes revealed he was in room approximately fifty meters in width with high ceilings and minimal furnishings. He also guessed there were presently five persons there with him, one of them a male.

He opened his eyes to view what was indeed a wide open space and expansive ceiling, cream-colored walls with lofty windows. In between was impressive artwork, but he didn't have time to admire any of it. His gaze was almost immediately drawn to the pair of dark eyes staring down at him from above.

Eyes he recognized, and found uncomfortably familiar.

"My name is Padmé." The eyes had a voice, which he also recognized - another piece of the fractured image from his visions, which he was able to finally put together now that he could look at her in person. It was the young woman from his dreams. He'd found her! "What's your name?"

_"Where are you from?"_ another female dressed identically to the first entered his vision, although he didn't understand a word the second one spoke.

After Padmé sent a scathing look to the intruder, she turned back to Obi-Wan, actually sitting down next to him, causing him to edge further back on the cushioned seat in slight panic. "It's okay. Don't be afraid. You're on Naboo. Do you understand anything I'm saying?"

That was the problem, and what was so unsettling. He did understand her. While he could not decipher the others' language, somehow he could her's. It was if something inside him was translating her words, and her words alone. "Yes," he uttered finally, causing her lovely face to crease with a grin. "I'm Obi-Wan from the Taresh region of Avi-Kao. I'm Soturi."

_"This is impossible!"_ yet another young woman dressed in similar orange attire complained. _"How are we going to help him if we don't know what he's saying?"_

_"It's not like we can get our hands on a translation device out here." _

Padmé looked confused and turned to her comrades. "What do you mean, you can't understand him? He was quite clear. His name is Obi-Wan, and he's from Taresh in Avi-Kao."

The quartet standing in the middle of the room eyed one another suspiciously before the dark-skinned male stepped forward. _"We didn't comprehend a word of that and Avi-Kao isn't a planet I've ever heard of - not in this galaxy." _

_"I didn't understand him either,"_ Rabé replied_, "so how did you, Your Ma...Padmé?"_

_"And what's a Soturi?"_ the one named Yané asked.

Padmé returned her gaze to the young man who had been silently, though dubiously listening to their conversation. "In our language, it means Jedi," she told the others.

_"What in the hell is a Jedi?"_ Rabé demanded in frustration.

_"Padmé, may I speak with you privately for a moment?" _

"I'll be right back," the young woman told Obi-Wan before rising to walk as far away as possible in the closed space in order to argue with the dark-skinned man.

_"He speaks in a foreign tongue, he's oddly dressed, and his occupation is unfamiliar as well. He claims to come from a place nobody has heard of! Why are you the only one able to understand him when he speaks? And what did you mean before when you said you knew him? Is there something you're not telling me?" _

"I'm not sure I understand it myself," Padmé replied, feeling the strange urge to return to the stranger's side.

_"As the Captain of the Royal Guard, and your personal protector, I insist you try to explain. I can't keep you safe if I don't know what's going on. For all we know, he's a spy sent in here by Gunray, and this is all an act to find out your true identity." _

"No, that's not what this is at all, she tried to explain, while gathering the specifics in her head.

_"Then what's going on? Who is he?" _

"He's Obi-Wan, from Avi-Kao," she told the Captain, unwilling to disclose any more information until she had figured it out.

Folded arms revealed to Obi-Wan, Padmé had not provided the answer the man wanted.

_"Is that the way you're going to handle this? Very well. I would advise against it, but that's not my place." _

"Thank you, Captain, and try not to worry. You're going to have to trust me. Obi-Wan isn't a threat to any of us."

_"I hope you're right." _

Not a threat? Actually, Obi-Wan thought, he was quite the opposite. If they only knew his reason for being here. But then, he had the suspicion Padmé already did.


	28. Chapter 28

**Chapter Twenty-Eight **

The building they were currently being held in appeared to be some type of cathedral, with a single entrance guarded by several of those metallic non humans he'd seen before. There were at least eight of them, plus two things standing on four legs, which to Obi-Wan looked like an oversized armored dung beetle.

Rising from the seat, he crossed over to the doorway, stopping when he was inwardly urged to do so. Before him were the glowing bars he'd seen in his visions some time ago. They were like the lightning bolts which shattered the desert night, humming just beyond his outstretched hand.

"Don't touch that!"

A shout from Padmé kept his hand at bay, but his curiosity was raised. "What is it?" he asked upon her approach.

"That's an energy field. It keeps us from escaping. You've never encountered such a thing?"

"No," Obi-Wan answered, lifting his gaze to follow the narrow pattern of lines which reached nearly to the ceiling; at least five meters up from the floor, straight across from wall to wall. Between it and the ceiling was a clearing of approximately two meters. It would have to be enough.

On Avi-Kao, he would've never attempted what he was about to do, but something about this place - this Naboo, she called it, was providing Obi-Wan strength he'd never had before. His judgment was clearer, his hearing and eyesight were greatly improved, and his insight was notably enhanced. Every move he needed to make was defined with astounding clarity.

"Step back," he ordered Padmé as he focused the source of power now residing within to his leg muscles, preparing to execute a great leap.

"What do you think you're doing?" Padmé asked, bewildered as Obi-Wan's knees bent and he sprung straight up from the floor. "Obi-Wan!"

The sensation of flying had never interested him. He didn't much care for acrobatics or heights. Even though he possessed the talent, Qui-Gon had essentially trained him not to take advantage of it. It was dangerous, and provided a vulnerable opportunity to an opponent. However, at this particular time, the ability served him well, and would give him a chance to finally offer his assistance.

Obi-Wan was pleased when his feet landed firmly on the other side of the blue bars, smiling back at the group who were gawking at him from the other side.

_"See? I told you he was mad." _

_"Did you see that? How did he do that?" _

Very similar to a map showing locations of interest, or to a battle plan indicating specific strategic maneuvers, Obi-Wan planned out the details of his attack while he stood behind the pillar near the exit. He would take out the guards on the top step first, followed by the next two. There were several large pots on the third and fourth steps he may need to hide behind before proceeding, but a quick roll and sweep would render the guards further down completely defenseless. His only worry were the beetle-like things on the ground. Unsure of their capabilities, he would figure out what to do once he'd reached them.

According to his plan, he used the element of surprise on the first two guards, jumping out from behind the pillar when they marched to the middle of the landing, slamming their arched heads together, before snapping their necks. The sound drew the attention of the other two, who fired their weapons at him. Balls of blue energy flew at him - the same ones he had once mistaken for shooting stars. Obi-Wan managed to duck out of the way of one, but the other caught him in the shoulder, scorching his armor and spinning him around.

Taking advantage of the force in the rotation, he hurled himself off one of the pillars lining the stairway, slamming into the metal guard with his body. Once he'd hit stone, he used the non human form to block the others' offensive attack, mightily throwing the guard he held in his hands to knock the others down, leaping forward to pull out the encased strings of their innards.

It was time to face the armored bug-like creatures, both of which rotated and aimed at him, firing their weapons in a succession much quicker than that of the other guards he'd disposed of. Obi-Wan dodged and slid to avoid being hit, before seeing no other option. He leapt up from the steps, landing on the back of one, and used it to destroy the other. That left only one, and he managed to force the thing to fire upon itself, allowing Obi-Wan to step clear of the destruction with minimal injury.

A check of his surroundings brought the peace of silence. There was nothing else coming, yet, but they needed to hurry.

Leaping up to the top of the stairway, he ran back inside the building and searched out Padmé.

"Over there on the right. There's a small generator. Inside is a switch. If you'll open it..."

While she explained, Obi-Wan had already reached the device, smashing it with his foot, and deactivating the energy field.

"_Grab all the weapons you can," Panaka told the group as they hurried out of their prison, arming themselves with the abandoned blaster rifles. _

_"We need to get back to the palace," Yané announced. _

Obi-Wan had ascended to the ground and was looking down the wide path, which led back into the city. Where they had been held was remote, but not as remote as they needed to be. He wasn't sure what they were discussing, but he needed to make sure Padmé would be safe, and the best way to do that was to get as far away from this place as possible. Once in a secure location, they could then figure out what to do.

"Follow me," Obi-Wan told her, which she repeated without delay, immediately retracing his steps in the opposite direction of the imminent danger.

Once Obi-Wan felt they were safe, he slowed his jog down to a stroll. His intention was to locate the rise, where he had first viewed the city and its attackers. The view would give them advantage of observing the enemy's activity, and allow them the opportunity to escape or hide if necessary. He led the way, with the others several steps behind him.

_"Forget who is he," Eirtaé spoke up, breathing heavily. "What is he?" _

_"The man has super power! Did you see him clear that field?" Yan_é _noted excitedly._

"_And how quickly he took out those battledroids? And what about the destroyers? I'm telling you," Rab_é _added, "he's not human!" _

_"Padmé," Captain Panaka said firmly while walking alongside her through the dense foliage, "it's time you tell us what you know." _

"Very well," she began, allowing the others time to catch up with her, and slowing their walk even further, putting some more distance between them and Obi-Wan, although she didn't think it would make a difference. Obi-Wan would probably hear everything she was about to say, but that was okay. He needed to know as well. "Ever since I was a little girl, I had this recurring dream of man who would come into my life at a moment of great need. He would be someone with amazing abilities."

_"In your dream, was he this handsome?" Yan_é _teased. _

_"With dimples and gorgeous eyes?" Rab_é _joined in. _

_"Girls, please. Let Padm_é _continue," Captain Panaka announced, quickly losing his patience _

"His features never did form completely. Not really. Occasionally there would be a smile, sometimes an eye - and yes, it was the same color as Obi-Wan's, but most of the time, the figure was vague and disjointed. His presence was always just barely realized, but I was never in doubt of his purpose."

"_And that is? Exactly?" Panaka prompted. _

Padmé stared ahead at the handsome young man standing just at the edge of Tasia Peak, which afforded an excellent view of Theed, and was overwhelmed by the sight of the physical manifestation of a lifelong dream.

"To save us all."


	29. Chapter 29

**Chapter Twenty-Nine**

All his life, Obi-Wan had felt displaced and uncomfortable. He hadn't realized it until now, at this moment as he stared down the gorge to the crashing blue waters below, following the cloud of mist that rose from the rocks, and up to the surrounding trees. He felt at ease here and at peace, as if dozens of invisible hands were reaching through the atmosphere and caressing his soul. Obi-Wan felt the need to reach out and return that touch, to stretch out with his mind and meditate upon his discoveries. Obi-Wan sank to his knees upon the rise, giving his full attention to the comfort this place provided.

_"What's he doing?" _

_"Is he asleep?" _

_"This is ridiculous! We can't just sit up here waiting! We need to return to the palace!" _

_"Sabé is depending on us!" _

_"Sabé is probably already dead. What? Don't look at me like that! Gunray is a monster! Anyone who blatantly attacks a defenseless city like he's done, who murders innocent people.." _

"All right, Rabé, that's enough. We all know what Nute Gunray is capable of. We don't need you to keep bringing it up."

_"But that's where you're wrong, Padmé. He had your parents killed, and I have yet to see you mourn for them." _

"I will mourn for them when I have the time, Yané. As I will for all those who have suffered and died."

Obi-Wan could sense the deep sadness within Padmé which was equal his own despair, connecting them in yet another way. However, her empathy seemed to be of a much grander scale than he could comprehend. Such caring and devotion to a population could only mean one thing - a conclusion he had come to shortly after they met. He wondered how honest Padmé would be with him once he told her about his discovery. Although he didn't think she would lie, he hated to admit that he had a problem with trust. Something he blamed the Avi-Ami for.

Pad-Me had deceived him from the beginning and Obi-Wan found himself struggling to disassociate her with Padmé from Naboo. Their physical appearance was very much the same, but that's where the similarities ended.

He must've been blind not be able to see who Pad-Me truly was; what a deceitful and wicked person she turned out to be. This young woman was quite the opposite. Not only pleasant to look at, her beauty radiated from the inside out, making her more lovely than the Avi-Ami was ever capable of being. He'd been a fool before, but not this time. This time, Obi-Wan believed he'd found a young woman truly worthy of his devotion; someone he had an overwhelming need to protect.

"Obi-Wan." Her voice was near, summoning him up out of his reflections. "I'm sorry to disturb you, but everyone is growing anxious."

She had knelt beside him, the orange drape pulled away from her head, revealing a crown of mahogany locks, twisted and braided away from her face. Her skin was clean and clear, almost translucent, her lips rosy, and her eyes the shade of an exquisite bronze. On her face was an expression of deep concern which tugged at his heart.

"What do you want me to do?"

"We need to return to the palace," she told him without pause. "Someone is being held hostage there." At this point, she did stall, and appeared to be biting the inside of her lip. "The queen," she told him.

Obi-Wan grinned at her attempt to mislead him. "Sina tu en dama," he told her.

She didn't argue with him and actually didn't seem too surprised to discover he already knew her true identity.

"How did you know?"

"My feelings declared it to be so shortly after we met," he told her truthfully, hoping she would understand.

She bowed her head, but her coloring remained the same. At least he hadn't embarrassed her with his honesty. "I'm sorry for my deception, but it was a necessity," she explained.

"I understand," Obi-Wan told he, and he did. Her ruse had lasted but a short while, and she hadn't tried to convince him otherwise. "But I will request your patience a while longer. The more of the metal men we lure out of the city, the more success we will have in entering it."

"Droids," Padmé kindly corrected him. "Battledroids to be more specific. You haven't seen any of those before either have you?"

The twinkle in her eye revealed her teasing, and caused Obi-Wan to grin himself. "No."

"Doesn't seem to matter," she replied, her fingers splaying out into the grass, quite close to his own hand. "Nothing seems capable of stopping you."

"One of those carriages might," Obi-Wan nodded toward the city.

"The tanks?" Padmé clarified. "They might. There are several parked right in front the palace."

"Which is why we need to eliminate some of the droids driving them. They are driven, yes?"

"Yes, of course," Padmé smiled again, finding Obi-Wan's innocence to be rather charming.

"Did other droids come to check on you during your imprisonment?" he asked.

"Sometimes," Padmé answered, "in the early evening before sundown."

Obi-Wan looked to the skies, appreciating the coolness of a single sun as well as the light breeze upon his skin. "Which will occur in a short while. They will most likely be alerted to our escape and begin a search for us. We'll need to be ready."

Being ready for the droid search party meant setting up a rather elaborate series of traps consisting of boulder piles, layers of branches to hinder their steps, and spiked logs rigged to swing when triggered. They had all retreated into the trees, expecting the droids at any moment. At his insistence, Padmé sat next to Obi-Wan on a high branch, a blaster rifle in her hands.

"Are you sure you don't want a blaster?" she whispered between the leaves.

"I prefer to do my fighting up close," Obi-Wan replied just as quietly, squeezing his hands into fists, desperately missing his sword. "Promise me you'll stay here where you'll be safe, no matter what happens to me."

"I promise," Padmé answered nervously, glancing across the path to find her handmaidens and Captain Panaka perched like birds.

Just as the sun started disappearing behind the city, Obi-Wan heard the sounds of whirring and clicking joints approaching from the south. There were at least twenty droids headed their way, scanning left and right with their blasters and strangely shaped heads.

When they reached the stack of branches, they stopped, only to wait on the tank following them to clear the path. The explosion scattered pieces of wood in all directions, with Obi-Wan shielding Padme with his armored back. Once the road had been cleared, the droids, as well as the tank moved forward. Obi-Wan motioned over to Panaka, who aimed at the log supporting the pile of stones stacked nearby on a slight ridge. One shot shattered the log and allowed the boulders to tumble down, bringing fallen trees and other stones along with them, pounding into the tank's hull and ultimately disabling it, as well as a few of the battledroids.

Flame erupted from the others, and it was at the point, Obi-Wan dropped from sky, slamming into two droids with his fall. Picking up one of the metal beings from the ground, he swung the body round to knock down as many as he could, while Padmé and the others fired from above. Half the droids were down, but the other half seemed determined to attack him alone. Obi-Wan was outnumbered, and he knew it. He prepared to leap back into the trees for a temporary retreat, when one of the bolts struck the joint of his armor, grazing his shoulder in the same place Ma-Ul had pierced him. Obi-Wan fell to the ground due to the sheer agony of the burn, as two droids approached, their blasters aimed directly at his head.

Obi-Wan began to worry he may be at somewhat of a disadvantage, when dual blaster bolts struck both droids with deadly accuracy. Obi-Wan glanced upward to the source of the shots, smiling when he saw Padmé gazing proudly back at him.

By the time he'd managed to rise and walk through the wreckage, all the droids had been eliminated - mostly. A few were walking around on legs only, which Obi-Wan found amusing for some reason.


	30. Chapter 30

**Chapter Thirty**

"Theed," Padmé said to Obi-Wan quietly as the small rebel entourage entered the city under the cover of darkness. "Capital city of Naboo and glory of the Jafan Dynasty. It's been standing for eight-hundred seasons, and now look at it."

Obi-Wan did exactly as Padmé has said, taking note of several crumbling buildings, collapsed walls, and tumbled down statues.

"Just look at what that bastard's done." Emotion cracked her voice, but when Obi-Wan followed her line of sight this time, he noticed Padmé wasn't looking at the damaged structures, but at the destruction of its people; at the scorched skeletal remains littering the streets.

Sensing how deeply she felt the loss, he offered a distraction, hoping it would direct her sight away from the horror. Reaching out, he took her hand, pleased when she did not withdraw from his touch, and even more so when she turned to him and smiled. It was a slight expression, but it meant the world to Obi-Wan. Padmé not only trusted him, she might even like him.

"Come. Show me the entry you spoke of earlier," he requested, allowing her to guide him by the hand through dark alleys between abandoned businesses, stopping to wait when the sound of passing droids drew near.

There were too many metal men left to have the confrontation Obi-Wan had foreseen and desired, and it was Padmé who had suggested another way into the palace - the rear entrance which the gardeners used.

The gardens behind the palace were impressive, but even these had not gone untouched. Obi-Wan could detect the smell of burnt foliage, and heard the spray of a fountain, whose mechanism had been busted. At one time, the architecture would've been breathtaking, and he wished he could've seen it.

But then, he remembered that he had. In his dreams. He had walked with her presence here several times.

Making sure the others were keeping up before they entered the palace, Obi-Wan paused just inside the doorway, his feet sliding upon the slick stone floor.

He sent the other girls, Yané, Rabé, and Eirté to where Padmé waited further down a long hall, and was about to do the same when the one Padmé called Captain Panaka stopped and gazed at him with a mixture of emotions. Obi-Wan still wasn't sure Panaka trusted him, but he tried not to hold that against the man. After all, he was only looking out for the safety of the Queen. He was merely doing his job.

So, when Panaka motioned for Obi-Wan to follow him, he did; turning right at the first corridor and filing silently into a room.

"_Translate for me, if you please," he told Padm__é__. _

"Quickly Captain," she responded.

"This is my private suite," he began, ushering Obi-Wan through a comfortable-appearing salon to a set of doors on the opposite side. "I've always been somewhat of a collector."

At that point, Panaka pushed open the doors to reveal a dimly lit area which was basically an armory. On every wall was a variety of armaments, from metal swords, the special rifles Padmé favored, to things Obi-Wan did not recognize at all, and had no idea how they worked or what they were used for.

One thing specifically was in a prominent display case next to the door. Obi-Wan couldn't help reach out to run his fingers along the smooth silver of the casing, over the black decorative ridges, and the red knob near the end.

It was a cylinder and nothing more, and he had no idea what it was for, but he had to pick it up. He had to hold it, because it asked him to.

"I got that in trade from a collector on Corellia several years ago" Panaka told him through Padmé. "It's a prototype of some kind of ancient sword, but I have no idea what it does. I think the old man who had it may have swindled me. I think it's broken."

Obi-Wan studied the object he held in his hand, mesmerized by its voice and balance, until echoing thunder of a distant explosion brought him back to reality and he immediately recalled his duty.

He replaced the weapon back onto its display and walked over to an arrangement of mounted swords, performing a quick count of at least fifty different styles.

"Take your pick," Panaka offered. "I don't know which you prefer, but that one," he pointed to an ivory and carved wooden hilt encasing a shining silver blade etched with a black design down its middle, quite similar to the one Obi-Wan had used in Avi-Kao, "has the best grip and is not too heavy."

Obi-Wan expressed his thanks and plucked the sword from the wall, testing its maneuverability in his hand. It felt right, but strangely not as right as that cylinder he'd held just a moment ago. He would have to remember to come back to it when this was all over with.

"Let's go get Sabé," Padmé announced, leading everyone back out into the hallway, where they followed her to a wide stairway blocked by several guards.

"Allow me," Obi-Wan whispered, strolling straight toward the droids, restored confidence revealed in each step.

Padmé watched in awe. She had never seen anyone use a sword with so much ease and speed. With barely a sound, Obi-Wan had snuck up behind the droids and had literally sliced them in half, kicking their metallic parts down the stairs afterward, sparks emitting from their severed wiring.

Once Obi-Wan had cleared their way, the rest followed, up the steps and into another multi-story hallway with several doorways on either side. However, it was the double set on the opposite end they needed to get to, and between them and their goal were at least a dozen battledroids, plus a destroyer.

They could not hide. There were no other options.

Padmé was the first to fire, and then all hell broke loose. Having no emotions or fear, the droids stepped forward into the fray, making no attempt to protect themselves. They were easy targets, and soon, the hallway was clear, except for the single destroyer protecting the entrance to the throne room.

The thing whirred and clicked as it stepped forward, its dual blasters firing a rapid spray of bolts their direction.

"I think I can get behind it!" Obi-Wan shouted out over the noise.

"No!" Padmé yelled back, aiming at the droid's legs, her shot coming up short. "It's too dangerous!"

"I'll be fine! We don't have time for this! If Gunray thinks he's lost, he may take his frustration and desperation out on the girl, and we don't want that to happen!"

While the others continued to fire their weapons, Padmé paused, turning to gaze at him, her eyes filled with nervous anticipation and possibly even fear. For herself or for him? Obi-Wan wasn't sure. "Be careful!"

No human should be able to move that fast. No one living in this galaxy, anyway.

Amazed by Obi-Wan's speed, the entire group ceased firing as they watched him dart from pillar to pillar, drawing the attention of the destroyer droid whose reaction time was too slow to keep up with him. Before the thing had been able to adjust, Obi-Wan had slipped up behind it, thrust his hand into its interior, and pulled out its motivator. The destroyer sputtered and collapsed onto the floor, emitting a tendril of smoke into the air.

"Let's go!" Obi-Wan yelled out. Padmé prompted the others to move, but the young man didn't wait for them. Before they had reached the end of the hall, Obi-Wan had burst through the doors, coming to a full stop once inside.

When their small band had joined Obi-Wan in the throne room, he still had not moved, his slack jaw and lowered brows revealing he was perhaps seeing something he had never seen the likes of before.

A Neimodian. Nute Gunray to be exact. Padmé was used to seeing him. She'd had dealings with the Neimodians ever since the Plasma Refinery Trade Agreement. She supposed to an outsider they would appear strange, but she had seen many more odd looking creatures throughout the galaxy.

But Obi-Wan wasn't from this galaxy, was he? There was no telling what he thought of Nute Gunray.

A samako! That's what it was. Not the little ones which would hide in crevices and bite at his toes when he worked in the Pit, but the big ones with the red eyes which sat directly out in the desert heat, whose long, sticky tongues would propel from their wide mouths and latch onto anything edible passing by.

Only this one was standing on two legs, and it was wearing clothing. It also spoke, though he couldn't understand it. He did understand Padmé's reaction, however, and he wasn't pleased with what he heard her say.

"This insignificant rebellion, you call it, is all that was needed to take down your entire army, Gunray. Believe me when I say, you're going to pay for what you've done."

Obi-Wan wasn't sure what the samako's response was, but he didn't like the tone of its voice.

With a leap forward, followed by a twirl and thrust, Obi-Wan's sword pierced the thing's heart – or at least in an area he hoped its heart would be.

With a splutter of disbelief, Gunray fell backward, gripping his chest, while a gush of dark green blood oozed between his long, thin fingers.

The others stood unmoved, silently staring at the scene, but it was Rabé who finally spoke up.

"_I guess that's one way to put an end to negotiations." _


	31. Chapter 31

**Chapter Thirty-One**

_"This is all I could find." _Yané placed the Bacta sample packets into Padmé's outstretched palm. There were only four of them, but they would have to suffice; at least until the droid control ship cleared out and once more allowed shipments back into Naboo.

She and the handmaidens had completely ransacked what was left of Theed Apothecary, the windows having been blown out and the contents mostly burned up by fire. But there were footprints in the ash. They weren't the first ones to come in here.

"We'll have to make do for now," she informed her comrades, trying to sound as positive as possible.

Surely help would come soon, Padmé hoped. By now, someone in the Galactic Senate had certainly heard of their plight, but with their communications station completely destroyed during the Neimoidian attack, she couldn't be sure. Until that time, she would do everything she could to help those within the city who were still alive. Already, an emergency treatment center had been established in the east wing of the university - the only part of the building still standing. The three-story med unit had collapsed upon itself. Captain Panaka was assisting others with the efforts to rescue those trapped beneath the rubble, or were unable to physically get themselves to the help they needed.

She hoped more Bacta had already been confiscated by the Naboo citizens and trusted they would share with others in need. She was sure they would. The people of Naboo were generous and caring.

These meager sample packs of Bacta they had left, were not for her subjects however, but for Obi-Wan.

She hadn't known he'd been injured. Not until he had literally dragged the deceased body of Nute Gunray, stumbling down the palace steps and tossed it into the street, announcing in his own unique way the occupation was over, and that the battledroids needed to evacuate the city. Which they did. She could still hear the ascension of the ships which had brought them here only seven days ago.

Had it only been seven days? How could so much destruction occur in such a short time?

Power had been disrupted throughout the city, with only a few businesses still aglow. The Theed Arts and Dance Academy was one of them. After Padmé dismissed the others, sending them to help the Captain, she escorted Obi-Wan there, drawing him near one of the tall functioning glowlamps by the door. Even though he was complaining the entire time, Obi-Wan cooperated and removed his armor, gingerly peeling back the scorched material of his tunic from his shoulder.

Padmé surveyed the wound and then quickly slipped away to a 'fresher, wetting a few hand towels with water and returned to begin cleaning the injury. Obi-Wan hissed with discomfort, but at least he had stopped minimizing his own pain in lieu of others' he thought were much more important.

"If we don't take care of this now," she argued, "infection could set in and you could lose your entire arm. Plasma burns are very dangerous. Be still."

As she worked, Padmé couldn't help but notice an underlying wound that was not yet entirely healed. It had been stitched together at some point but the edges were quite ragged. Hopefully, the Bacta would aid in its healing process as well.

After she had removed the charred skin, the wound itself began to seep, and she asked Obi-Wan to hold one of the towels on it while she prepared the Bacta.

Just outside the door was complete chaos. She could hear the agonized screams of family members as more bodies were being pulled from the wreckage of her beloved Theed. Now that the prison camps had been emptied, she was afraid the mourning process had only begun. Hers hadn't even started, but still she didn't have time.

There was a city to rebuild, resources to be recovered, and an economy to restructure. It was a lot to consider, but for some reason, Padmé could only think about one thing: The moment when Obi-Wan pressed his body against hers in the tree, just as the tank blew up the obstacle they'd constructed. It had lasted just a moment, not nearly long enough, but it was a moment forever etched in her memory.

She recalled the perfect line of his mouth, the charming cleft in his chin, the way his hands gripped her arms just firmly enough to protect her and not cause harm. But mostly, she remembered the way he looked at her, as if they were the only two beings in the galaxy, and as if his back weren't actually being pulverized by wooden projectiles.

And here he was before her once again, only this time essentially stripped to his waist, his masculinity and virility bared before her eyes. It was all Padmé could do stop her fingers from wandering away from their task to trace the ridges of his pectoral muscles, to allow her touch to drift up his neck to a stubbled chin; to place her lips along the pulsating cord along his neck and move upward and suckle his earlobe.

During her rather vivid fantasy, apparently her treatment had stopped, and Obi-Wan had become suspicious. "Are you finished?"

"Just about," Padmé replied, color rising to her cheeks. "There, that should do it. The patch needs to stay put for at least two days."

"Just two?" he repeated, gazing down at the pink square covering his wound.

"Bacta is miraculous antibiotic agent," she explained. "It also speeds the healing process. Your shoulder should be back to normal by that time."

"Amazing, thank you," Obi-Wan replied, being careful to not disturb the patch when he redressed.

For some unknown reason Padmé felt disappointed - almost as if she had expected Obi-Wan to read her mind and share her thoughts. She felt as if she had somehow allowed an important moment pass by and had done nothing to secure it.

But who was she fooling? He obviously didn't feel the same. He had come from far off, a journey he had yet to explain. He was to be their savior. Her dreams had confirmed it. However, there had never been any promise or even a remote hint of romance.

And the timing was wrong. She could feel the weight of the dead and grieving bearing down on her shoulders. There were many responsibilities requiring her attention. What did she think she was doing?

"Padmé?" she heard Obi-Wan say as she picked up the litter and looked about for a bin.

"Yes?" she said distractedly, only to be drawn into focus by the touch of a hand upon her arm.

Obi-Wan repeated her name, but she was lost in his gaze - one that was very similar to the one he'd shown when he'd protected her from the tank's blast. Padmé was captured and held, as if bound by a thousand ties, her mind emptied except for one burning question, which escaped her lips in little more than a whisper.

"Why did you come here?"

His touch remained, although something shifted in his eyes, a look Padmé would describe as completely honest and absolutely tender. "Because you asked me to."

"How long will you stay?"

It took him longer to answer this time, but his expression did not change. "As long as you require."


	32. Chapter 32

**Chapter Thirty-Two**

Their conversation had revealed very little to Obi-Wan. Padmé's emotions were so mixed, he couldn't discern them. At one point, her administrations had become tender, and he could've sworn he could detect an increased energy level quite similar to a state of arousal, but that wasn't likely. Perhaps he was just tired. He needed rest and was definitely needing to take the time to meditate.

However, in order to meditate, he needed to be able to concentrate, and for the moment, Obi-Wan was finding that near impossible.

A thunderstorm had erupted over Theed, interrupting their recovery procedures. All those who could walk or be carried had been brought into the palace. There were too many to count, but not nearly as many as Obi-Wan had imagined there would be. It seemed as if the dead outnumbered the living.

Right now, their focus was on the living, and it was Padmé and her court who were rushing about taking care of those who needed assistance; providing bandages, Bacta, food, water, blankets, and occasionally a reassuring pat or hug.

She had announced she was not a queen for the time-being, and that she was just a regular citizen of Naboo - which is exactly as she appeared. Her face was dirty, her hair wildly pulled back out of her way, and her orange dress was even torn. But in Obi-Wan's mind, no one had ever seemed more regal or more deserving of the title of Queen.

* * *

Padmé had rummaged through her own wardrobe in search of items which would provide warmth for those taking refuge in the palace. The unexpected rain had sent a chill through the air and as spotty as power still was in the city, there was not adequate heat even here.

She carried out several of her winter gowns to drape over those shivering in the halls and foyer, directing her handmaidens to do the same. There were those suffering from shock and it was important their body temperature remained stable.

Padmé spun around to ask one handmaiden standing close by to see if Captain Panaka had managed to start the generator, when she noticed it was Sabé staring at her with tear-filled eyes.

Since discovering her First Maiden tied up in the conference area behind the throne room, Padmé hadn't yet had the opportunity to speak with her. After making sure she was well, despite bruising across her face, Padmé had focused her energy on Obi-Wan's injury, and then the needs of so many. However, she should've taken the time to speak with her before now.

"What is it, Sabé? Are you all right?"

"I'm so sorry," she gasped between sobs. "If I would've only signed the treaty, then none of this would've happened! The city wouldn't have been destroyed, and your…" she spluttered, covering her mouth with her hand. "Your parents would still be alive!"

Padmé bounded up from the floor where she had been comforting an elderly woman with a broken ankle, to wrap her arms around her handmaiden, calming her with her words and a firm, friendly embrace.

"You did exactly what you were supposed to do," she told her fervently. "You cannot blame yourself for the actions of a tyrant. If you had given in to his demands, things would be much worse."

"But your family…" Sabé replied, pulling back, tears streaming down her face, smearing the ritualistic heavy amounts of kohl and rouge she wore when acting as a decoy.

"I have suffered no more or less than thousands of others who have lost a love oned," Padmé reassured her. "Actually if anyone is to blame, it's me. It was my actions which exposed us to the Neimoidians in the first place. If I hadn't been so greedy and pursued a trade agreement with them, we would have never even met Nute Gunray."

"You were only looking out for Naboo's best interests…as you always do," Sabé argued, drying her face with the sleeve of the royal gown she had worn as a disguise.

"No more tears," Padmé informed her friend, "not for me anyway. Look around and put your grief into action. There are many who are still suffering and need our assistance."

"Yes, your Majesty," the young woman bowed respectfully and scurried off to help.

* * *

It was nearly morning when Padmé finally found rest. Instead of retiring to her own personal suite, however, she had laid down on a pallet in the hall, her arm draped across a young boy who'd apparently been orphaned. Obi-Wan watched her actions, his favor for her growing more and more.

Only complicating matters significantly.

He had come here to help – to save her from danger, and that's exactly what he'd done. Did that mean his time here was through? Should he return to Avi-Kao?

The thought of leaving her was devastating, but he had made no commitment – not a spoken one, and she had much to do. From this point on, he would only be in the way. He didn't even speak their language.

Before he returned however, there was one thing he must do: Answer the beckoning call which had begun tickling his senses the moment he'd stepped into Captain Panaka's quarters.

He returned there just as dawn's first light began streaming in the numerous palace windows, finding Panaka's door open, and his floor filled with sleeping Nabooans.

Obi-Wan stepped lightly over slumbering individuals, to find the Captain sitting and staring out into the gardens.

"_Good morning." _

Assuming the words were meant as some type of greeting, Obi-Wan declared his own, reaching forth to shake the man's offered hand. "Kaiveh pava."

Following his statement, all attempts at conversation stopped. It made little sense to continue something which neither understood. Instead, Obi-Wan motioned with his hand that he wished to go to the other room.

Panaka nodded and rose to take him there, indicating the weapon Obi-Wan had come to view once they had stepped inside.

The silver object whispered to him as it were waiting for him, as if it knew his name, and Obi-Wan reached out for it, checking with Panaka to ensure he had permission. Once granted, Obi-Wan picked it up and felt its weight, turning it and sliding his hand up the hilt.

When he gripped comfortably onto it as he would any sword, the thing vibrated and suddenly, a bolt of blue light sprung upward from the casing, illuminating the entire room, and sending Panaka stumbling back.

The energy this weapon was giving off reminded Obi-Wan of the blaster bolt which struck his shoulder, and he decided they were made of the same material, only this cylinder somehow contained it, allowing the light to only reach so far. The entire length from the bottom of the hilt to the tip of the beam was no longer than his own sword.

Amazement widening his eyes, Obi-Wan looked to Panaka, out toward the gardens, and then back again, his message apparently understood. He carried the weapon outdoors, where he performed a rather erratic and unprofessional pruning job.

Back inside the palace, Captain Panaka watched him with keen, but somewhat comical interest, before getting the opportunity to share the moment with another.

"Captain, have you seen Obi-Wan?" Padmé asked quietly as she approached, which the man answered with a thrusting thumb toward the windows.

She joined him in observing the young man's efforts, as the laser sword lopped off the burnt branches of every shrub and tree within his reach.

"I thought you said it was broken," Padmé commented, grimacing when the energy beam swiped a little too closely to Obi-Wan's head for her own comfort.

"I thought it was. I've tried everything I could to get that thing to work. All Obi-Wan did was hold it, and it immediately came on."

"What does that mean?"

Panaka's smile disappeared as he turned toward the Queen. "Something I don't think many of us are prepared to hear, with you being the exception, of course. You always did have a rather active imagination, especially when you were young."

Captain Panaka's words warmed Padmé's heart. He had been a friend of her family for a long time and had committed his life to serving her the day she had been elected Queen. She not only trusted him with her life, but as a friend.

She already had her suspicions of Obi-Wan's presence, and how he came to be here. In her wildest imaginings, she'd decided he was a time traveler, and had gone through a black hole. That theory made the most sense and would explain his lack of knowledge of anything from this galaxy, as well as his foreign speech.

"I believe he was sent to us from another world," the Captain began, turning once more to watch Obi-Wan, whose confidence with the weapon appeared to be growing with each passing moment.

That he has perhaps traveled to us through another dimension, brought here by a power we cannot begin to comprehend. I think that weapon was left here intentionally for his use, and that the man who gave it to me knew he was coming.

I had a suspicion about him - the old man, I mean," Panaka explained. "He was this ancient little green fellow with huge ears. The way he talked was quite strange, but the things he said -the way he said it, led me to believe he was far more intelligent than he was putting on. I traded my glowlamp for the sword...thought I was doing him a favor."

Padmé listened with fascinated interested. If Obi-Wan had indeed crossed through another dimension, it would explain a lot, but it did not nothing to explain why Obi-Wan was currently hopping around the gardens on one foot.

Hurrying into the hall, she and Panaka met the young man as he limped back into the palace, the lower right half of his tunic and leather wrap missing, the edges of what was left tattered and singed.

"I guess I need a little more practice," he told her with a wry grin.

Padmé smiled and shook her head with wonderment and worry. It was a good thing they'd found more Bacta. It looked as if his upper thigh was in need of it.

He was in need of new clothing as well.

"Come with me, Obi-Wan," she prompted him. "It's about time you looked like a proper Nabooan soldier."


	33. Chapter 33

**Chapter Thirty-Three**

Ships were coming in. Thank the stars! It had taken two days to restore basic communications with the Republic Capital to ask them for aid, and two more to receive word a large party of Galactic Relief members were just outside of Naboo's orbit. Help couldn't have come at a more crucial time. They were beginning to run low on vital supplies such as Bacta, bandages, fresh water, and food.

Since the spaceport had been heavily damaged, the ships were given permission to land on the Queen's Thoroughfare, directly in front of the palace steps. Since most of the population was still residing in the palace, it was the most convenient place.

Obi-Wan stood at the top step and gazed at the skies while the ships made their descent, his mouth agape, his eyes filled with wonder.

"They have no feathers," he noted to Padmé who stood next to him, waiting to welcome their guests. "They look so heavy! How do they stay in the air?"

"It's all a matter of aerodynamics, air pressure, thrust vectoring…" Padmé paused, unsure if Obi-Wan was listening. He seemed mesmerized by the sight of the two large craft, whose descent thrusters had fired, carrying them to a careful and well executed landing right in the center of the street.

"Amazing," she heard him utter. "Where did they come from?"

"The GRS is stationed on Alderaan, but there are many branches of…"

"Alderaan," Obi-Wan repeated, looking like a youngling during his first Festival of Lights. "Is that on the other side of Naboo?"

"No," Padmé answered slowly, waiting to see if he was paying attention this time, and he was, because he turned to her impatiently, a brow raising as if he were curious as to what was taking her so long to reply. "Alderaan is part of the Core Worlds."

"Worlds," Obi-Wan echoed. "As in another? Other than this one?"

How could she ever explain this?

"Yes. There are many worlds in this galaxy. Alderaan is just one of them, as is Naboo. They are divided into separate sectors. Naboo is part of the Bothan Sector," she began, though his eyes had returned to the ships, whose ramps had lowered, allowing loading droids to began depositing supply crates onto the street.

"I should go help them," he said, trotting away down the steps before she could stop him. The droids would do all the heavy lifting, but apparently, Obi-Wan was the type of man who was only happy if he were busy doing something.

And although there was plenty of work to be done in the city, there was actually very little he could do.

She knew he was frustrated. She felt it in her heart, but perhaps she was worried for nothing. He seemed content, at least at the moment, as he robbed a droid of its parcel and proceeded to bring it into the palace himself.

"The uniform fits him well," a voice announced as Captain Panaka stepped forward.

"Yes, it does," Padmé agreed. She had noticed that the first day he had put it on. The grays and reds of the shirt and pants complemented his skin tone, and once she had taught him how to use the sonics, his appearance had improved quite dramatically. He complained just a little about the pants, not understanding why anyone would want to inhibit their movement with them, but seemed content with the tall brown boots and the dark gray leather chest shield. They reminded him of his own armor, he had said.

Other than the odd-looking laser sword strapped to his thigh, he looked like a regular member of Naboo's military. Except he wasn't. Although he was trying his best, Padmé knew he wasn't comfortable. Not completely.

Padmé smiled at Obi-Wan when he stepped around them and carried the package into the building.

"But he doesn't seem to fit it…does he?" Panaka voiced his opinion, once the young man had passed, which sadly complemented her own.

"He's doing his best," she argued, more in an attempt to convince herself, she was afraid. "He just needs more time. He'll find his place."

"And what if his place isn't here?"

It was the same question Padmé had been mulling over ever since Gunray's defeat. She knew Obi-Wan had come to save them, and he had done just that. What would he choose to do now?

He didn't seem the type to simply take advantage of any opportunity to come his way. He had come far with a belief he had done so for a reason.

What if he decided to do that again and one day was just...gone?

The fear Obi-Wan would leave is what kept Padmé at a distance for the past few days. Not entirely aware of what she'd been doing, she was simply too scared to fall in love with someone who wasn't sticking around.

"I'm sure Obi-Wan will find his place, and if it isn't here, then it will be somewhere else. I appreciate his help, but he needs to find a place he can be useful. Whatever he decides to do is fine with me," she lied in order to change the subject.

Actually, the thought of Obi-Wan leaving was simply too painful to consider any longer.

* * *

He was fooling himself. And even after he had vowed to not play that part ever again!

Well, he wasn't blind. Not any more. His presence was no longer required in Naboo. Especially now that the supply ships had arrived with their droids and their volunteers, who could help out much better than he could.

And they had come from another world!

The thought of others living in places somewhere out there amongst the stars, was beyond Obi-Wan's comprehension. He had never even imagined such a possibility! Where he came from was small. Confined. Comfortable.

He was in control there. To an extent. He could be once again, but even more so now that he use this weapon - a weapon which could cut through the strongest metal, vanquish any beast he came up against. With it, he could easily be Soturi Champion. He could avenge his Master. He could rule Upea!

But that's not what he wanted. Not at all. He didn't wish to return to Avi-Kao, but he didn't have much of a choice, did he? Where else could he go?

At least there, he knew his place. At least there, they understood him.

Padmé obviously didn't care if he stayed or left. He'd overheard her tell Captain Panaka those exact words.

At one point, a few days ago, he had thought she was beginning to share his feelings, but obviously he'd been mistaken.

The second time a woman had misled him. Obi-Wan was going to make sure it was the last.

He stepped up to the rise which overlooked Theed – on the same spot he had stepped into this world, and hopefully the one which would lead him out of it – and dropped to his knees, his heart weary.

Meditation was difficult to grasp, but eventually, Obi-Wan felt his spirit being carried away to a place of utter contentment. There was no other place he could think of which could lead to such a state, and he wondered for a moment if he'd somehow passed into the Afterlife, especially when his inner sight was filled with a soft, blue glow.

The glow gradually developed into a form, the form taking the shape of a person – a person he recognized and was quite pleased to see again.

"Qui-Gon," Obi-Wan breathed out in a great sigh of relief.

His Master stepped forward, then slowly crouched down to match Obi-Wan's own posture. It wasn't a position he'd been used to seeing the man in, as Qui-Gon never had participated in his meditations before, but Obi-Wan was so glad he was joining him now.

"Obi-Wan, it's good to see you. You're looking well," the rich tones used were as if the man were truly here with him! How could this be?

"It's good to see you too, Qui-Gon," Obi-Wan told him, ignoring the passing thought of the impossibility of it all. His Master was dead, wasn't he? If so, then how was he here with Obi-Wan, in his mind?

And he was here! Not just as a vapor. He was smiling, speaking, kneeling in front of him! But why? Had he come to accuse him? To avenge his death?

However, Qui-Gon didn't look angry. He looked…peaceful.

"Perhaps you're wondering why I've come to you," Qui-Gon began.

"Yes, but first allow me to apologize." Obi-Wan felt the need to get this finally off his shoulders while he had the chance. "I should've never left you in Avi-Kao to face the wrath of the Avi-Ami. I had no idea she would take her anger out on you! Master, I'm sorry. I'm the one who should've died in that arena, not you."

"Obi-Wan," Qui-Gon's sighed himself, his gaze turning tolerant, as it did when Obi-Wan had trouble understanding a particular philosophy. "Everything happens for a reason. You are here for a reason, despite all your worries and doubts. I was sent here to help you understand that, and to keep you from making a big mistake. You must stay on Naboo. You must stay in this realm."

Obi-Wan listened carefully, his conflicting emotions at war inside himself.

Qui-Gon was telling him to stay just as he had decided to leave? Obi-Wan had already come to terms with it, had already justified the decision in his mind, and now he was asking him to change all that?

"Why?" he asked his Master, hoping for an answer, but suspecting one would not come that easily. "Why must I stay?"

One side of Qui-Gon's mouth lifted in a grin – another expression Obi-Wan recognized, and one that told him his suspicions had been realized. Qui-Gon wasn't going to tell him anything. Not yet.

"You will learn more information as the time comes, and as it is required, my Soturi. Just know that your journey here was not by mistake. They need your help, Obi-Wan."

"Who?" the young man argued, hurt and irritation hindering his insight and judgment. "Nobody needs me here! They have droids to do their work for them, they fly in the sky like birds, they have blasters and assistance coming from other worlds, they speak in a language I can't understand…"

"Stop." Qui-Gon interrupted his rant, giving Obi-Wan the opportunity to regain control of his emotions and to locate his center. "Are you finished?"

"I'm sorry, Master. It hasn't been easy."

"I know it hasn't," Qui-Gon comforted him with words and voice. "And it will continue to be so, but know that you will not be alone. There is someone who understands you here, someone you can speak with. Am I right?"

"Yes," Obi-Wan replied, an image of Padmé immediately entering his mind. "About that…"

"Always questions, my Soturi." Qui-Gon grinned before rising to his feet. "This one I can answer. The power in this realm, the one which brought me to you, has given you this gift. The Queen is strong. She will be an aid and comfort to you on your journey."

Much to Obi-Wan's dismay, their time together had ended. Already, Qui-Gon's ethereal glow was vanishing, his features becoming clouded.

"Master, wait!"

"I will come to you when needed, Obi-Wan. Until then…"

"Until then," Obi-Wan repeated, waiting to resurface until the last wisp of blue had evaporated, giving way to the brilliance of the Naboo sky.


	34. Chapter 34

**Author's Note**: Not sure who (if any) of you visits the Profile section here. I posted a link to a photo manip I made to go with this story. If you want to take a peek, visit my Profile page and click on the link provided.

* * *

**Chapter Thirty Four**

The sun was going down on a glorious day. Having received help so desperately needed, supplies were replenished, and even reconstruction begun on Theed Spaceport. Temporary shelters had been built as well, and many of the families taking shelter in the palace had moved into them.

Things were looking up and Padmé would be quite pleased about that, if it weren't for one thing.

Obi-Wan had gone missing.

The last time she had seen him, he had been heading into the palace with a supply crate, but after that, there had not been one sign of him anywhere. Padmé had discretely searched the palace as well as the inner part of the city, but he couldn't be found.

Finally, getting desperate once a beautiful sunset was lighting up the sky, Padmé consulted one of her handmaidens to ask if perhaps she had seen him.

"The last time I saw Obi-Wan, he was walking down the lane leading to Tasia Peak." Yané told her.

Padmé's heart sank with the news. The location apparently had a special meaning to Obi-Wan, and was where he had led them after having released them from the prison camp.

Was that where the portal to his world was located? Would it do any good to go see?

Worry now replacing dread, Padmé grabbed her cloak to set out toward the peak, her way suddenly blocked by Captain Panaka.

"Just where do you think you're going?" he asked.

"I have to find him. You know I do."

Her Head of Security's grim expression turned tender, a supportive hand landing solidly on Padmé's shoulder. "He's gone."

"No, he wouldn't do that without saying goodbye, would he?" she asked, more to herself, not really expecting a reply. And what would Panaka know about it anyway?

"He thought it would be easier. I spoke with him just outside the city, and he asked me if he could have the laser sword. I told him it was his to begin with, so of course he could take it with him."

"What?" Padmé uttered in disbelief. "Why didn't you say anything to me!" Anger was beginning to break through her resolve, tension building in her narrow shoulders. "Wait…you said he told you? How can that be when you can't understand each other?"

Knowing her well, Panaka paused, allowing Padmé enough time to compose herself, to take a deep breath and regain control of her emotions. Once her coloring had returned to normal, he explained. "The man has the most expressive eyes I've ever seen on a person."

"I know," Padmé agreed, the previous boil of her anger now a mere simmer. She could feel another outburst heading her way, but this one had nothing to do with rage. She had to get out of sight and fast!

"Along with hand gestures, he communicates quite well," Panaka continued, each word bringing a painful reminder and picture to Padmé's mind.

"I wished him good luck and he left. I'm sorry."

"That's okay," Padmé murmured, unsure of what she else she said to the man before turning to walk quickly down the hallway and up the steps to her own suite. By the time she was out of sight of the others, she broke into a run, her eyes blinded by the onset of tears.

After throwing herself across her bed, Padmé allowed all of her emotions to finally be spent. The grief over the loss of her family, the damage done to the population of Naboo and her beloved city Theed, and finally to the absence of Obi-Wan in her life.

Somehow, it seemed he'd always been there, in her dreams, in her thoughts, and after finally materializing before her very eyes, proving himself to be more worthy than she had imagined, he'd simply left? Just like that?

It was so unfair! She had waited years for him to find her, only to be denied the fulfillment of her dreams!

Realizing she was feeling quite sorry for herself, but not caring in the least, Padmé continued to weep, gradually dozing off, only to dream of the man Fate had apparently snatched from her life.

His appearance in her sleep was no longer a pleasure. And the way he said her name no longer sent a tingle down to her toes.

But since when had her dreams been accompanied by a physical touch?

Padmé came awake suddenly, bolting upright, startled to find Obi-Wan sitting on her bed, gazing at her with those soulful gray eyes of his.

Unsure if she was still in a dream state, she reached out, gently caressing his cheek with her hand before leaning forward, gradually coming closer and closer, her focus on a silent pair of dry lips.

If this were yet another dream of him, it was the best one yet! But she had to make sure Obi-Wan was really here sitting next to her - that he wasn't another vision which would vanish in the light of morning.

When she kissed him, at first he didn't move, but then as if a gate had opened, allowing flood waters to pass through, Padmé was swept up in a tidal wave of passion, desire, and longing. Some of it was hers, but not all of it. Somehow, as the kiss continued, what Obi-Wan was feeling was being absorbed into herself, and the process and realization of it only increased the torrent.

Bodies pressed tightly together, hands frantically groping any trace of warm skin within reach, it was from Obi-Wan that Padmé sensed a small degree of hesitance. When she would allow herself to drown in the tumult of sensation, Obi-Wan managed to regain control, slowly withdrawing from her embrace, placing a safe distance between them.

They stared at one another, lips swollen, pupils dilated, hearts pounding.

Padmé snorted a single laugh. "Wow." It was the only thought she could form at the moment.

"My apologies. That wasn't my intention," he told her. "I…I came in here only to tell you I've…I've decided to stay. I noticed you were upset… and I wanted to…to…"

His sudden seriousness had Padmé worried for a moment, but his news about staying was such an enormous relief, she threw herself into his arms.

He held her for a while, gently caressing her back, but once again was gently pushing against her, taking her hands in his almost as if he didn't trust what she might do with them.

"Padmé, there's a lot we need to discuss, and until everything's clear, until I know exactly what's going on here," he indicated the space he'd put between them with his eyes, "I want us to take this slower. Can we do that?"

"Of course," Padmé answered wholeheartedly. At the moment, she would agree to anything he said. "Of course we can," she repeated happily.


	35. Chapter 35

**Chapter Thirty-Five **

While Obi-Wan swallowed the last bit of his morning meal, he could make out the distinct sound of thrusters being fired overhead as yet another ship was approaching Theed. Now that the spaceport was once again in working order, the metal birds were landing and leaving quite regularly, bringing much-needed relief, supplies, and allies offering their assistance. He had thought Padmé would be pleased about the increased flow of traffic, but once Obi-Wan had discovered the reason behind much of it, he understood the unexpected response.

People were fleeing Naboo, choosing to become refugees and starting over elsewhere. Apparently, a prince by the name of Organa from the planet Alderaan, had offered to accept and assist any and all who chose to leave Theed. Obi-Wan was sure Organa was acting out of the goodness of his heart and had no ulterior political motive to his actions, however, Padmé didn't seem to agree. She was hurt, although Obi-Wan didn't think Organa was the source of her pain.

The glory which once was Theed was fading, and there was nothing she could do to stop it.

For days, the young woman had been struggling to appear optimistic and friendly, but Obi-Wan could detect the underlying battle she was struggling to win.

"Perhaps, the people will return once the city is back to normal," Obi-Wan had told her just yesterday, his offhand remark earning a look from Padmé which hinted at his ongoing naivety.

"Theed will never be the same. Some of these buildings have been standing for generations! They simply can't be replaced! Don't get me wrong - I appreciate the GRS's efforts, but their work is voluntary, and their funding is limited. It's going to take something beyond their limited resources to undo the damage the Neimoidians have caused."

Obi-Wan was doing his best to understand Padmé's despondency, although he had no frame of reference. There was nothing on Avi-Kao which held his devotion; not even his home town of Taresh. Taresh had been a dung heap in the middle of the desert, filled with unhappy souls who barely managed to scrape out a living. The only source of good there had been the Old Farmer who had raised Obi-Wan. Once he had passed, however, nothing decent remained, and Obi-Wan felt no loyalty to the village or its people.

He could tell by looking at the rubble which once was Theed, at the massive crumbled statues that had lined the streets, the proud homes reduced to pebbles, that indeed the city had been grand. But buildings were just hollow, empty structures without people to occupy them. So, perhaps, the true source of Padmé's unhappiness was that she felt as if her people were abandoning her.

During his ponderings, while dusting away crumbs which littered his attire, Obi-Wan became suddenly aware of a change in Padmé's demeanor. For the first time in a while, he detected a spark of hope breaking through the shadows which dwelled inside her.

She was excited and the news quickly spread that somebody important had arrived in Theed. Perhaps somebody who could help them.

Obi-Wan rushed through a palace he had become quite accustomed to, out into the street, and into the nearby spaceport. Once inside, he noticed a spectacular ship parked there unlike any other he'd seen. The GRS ships were essentially huge metal rectangular boxes, but this one - this particular ship had a unique shape and form, and something slightly akin to wings, which formed a vee on either side of its body. The outer layer was polished to a high sheen, and Obi-Wan decided whoever had arrived in such a bird, had to be someone of great importance.

He approached slowly once he had located the visitor on the other side of the port speaking with Padmé. It was an older man with graying hair and quite a few wrinkles about his eyes and neck. Everything else about him was hidden beneath a long robe of dark gray and black with billowing sleeves. Behind the man stood a pair of massive beings, holding tall silver Obi-Wan assumed were weapons. The one on the left had blue skin and horns not only protruding from the top of his skull, but from the large neck flaps which folded across his chest.

There had been a variety of different-looking beings coming to Theed for the past several days. Just when Obi-Wan thought he had become accustomed to the sight of them, he was beginning to think he would never quite get used to seeing such a variety, especially when they were as odd-looking as this one was.

Obi-Wan cast out his awareness upon the ferocious-appearing guards, receiving only a sense of duty and purpose in return. They meant no one any harm.

However, when he did the same toward the older gentleman speaking with Padmé, Obi-Wan could've sworn for just a moment...for a fraction of an instant, he could detect an intense amount of hatred and anger, the likes and depths of which he had never encountered before. When he tried again, however, it was if a door had been slammed in his face, and he could no longer get a reading of the man at all. It was as if all of his attempts were being blocked somehow.

It was on his third attempt, the well-dressed gentleman changed his focus and turned to gaze upon Obi-Wan as he strolled across the brand new plasteel flooring.

_"Ah, I believe this is the young man you were telling me about."_ The man's voice had a forced charm, his blue eyes dimly lit and rather lifeless. Obi-Wan formed an instant dislike for the man, although he tried his best not to show it.

"Chancellor, this is Obi-Wan. Obi-Wan, Chancellor Palpatine."

Obi-Wan bowed curtly out of respect for Padmé and Padmé alone. He didn't wish to embarass her in front of someone she apparently deemed highly.

"The Chancellor has been recently elected as the head of the Republic. He's originally from Naboo," Padmé explained.

_"Which is why it saddens me to see the city in such a state. My heart aches for you and its citizens. Truly, it does," _the man's oily voice droned on. Although his words seemed kind, Obi-Wan didn't trust him. Not at all. _"We flew by to observe the damage, and it is indeed heartbreaking, Your Highness." _

"Let us go inside to discuss the situation, Chancellor," Padmé suggested.

Obi-Wan followed at a distance, suddenly feeling uncomfortable and out of place. The handmaidens had arrived as well, and for the first time, he was able to witness the workings of procedure and protocol of Naboo royalty, as well as for their esteemed leader. He wasn't sure he would've been allowed to walk with them anyway, and so he stayed back, though he kept his hearing attuned to everything Padmé had to say.

"The GRS have done so much to help, but in order to return Theed to its former state, much more will be required," Padmé explained as the Chancellor listened in silence. "Their funding is limited and their volunteers are tiring. The people of Naboo are fleeing to Alderaan, and we simply dso not have the resources required to continue reconstruction."

_"Aren't the mines still running?"_ Palpatine asked as they stepped into the palace.

"Yes, they are, but only at half staff. No income has been generated until just recently, however, when the spaceport became functional again."

_"I see." _

The group was escorted into one of the empty conference rooms with the older man settling in a chair just to the left of Padmé, whose handmaidens stood directly behind her. Padmé sat proudly upright, her attention entirely focused on the Chancellor. Although her appearance was exactly the same as it always had been, she seemed to have grown taller in some way. Obi-Wan stayed just inside the door, leaning against the wall.

_"What is it exactly you are requesting from me?" _

Whatever it was the older man had asked, it had gotten Padmé's attention and she leaned forward onto the table, her dark eyes sparkling. "We need Coruscant's assistance, Chancellor. A loan, if necessary. Some substantial source of financial aid is needed in order to rebuild the city and keep the people from leaving it."

It was some time before the older leader replied. He had even taken the time to consult the blue, horned individual standing just behnd his shoulder.

_"These are tough times, Your Highness." _Palpatine began. _"There are skirmishes all over the Galaxy. The Republic cannot help them all."_

"But," Padmé intejected, some of her previous glow diminishing, "you are from Naboo. Surely, what happens here matters to you."

_"Of course it does, my dear. What I've seen truly saddens me. Such a loss, for no apparent reason other than greed. But as a newly elected official, I must be careful of showing any favoritism, you understand. My heart goes out to you and those who have suffered so needlessly." _

His words had stunned Padmé. Obi-Wan could see the change in her eyes as well as in her posture.

"Does this mean you will do nothing to help us?" she stammered in disbelief.

_"Now, now. I didn't say anything of the sort. Upon my return to the capital, I will request a committee be formed whose sole purpose will be to look into the matter." _

"A committee." Padmé uttered.

_"For the timebeing, it's the best I can do, Your Highness. My condolences to you all." _

She was doing her best to maintain her composure, but disappointment clouded her eyes, and Obi-Wan could sense frustration and anger beginning to boil just beneath the surface.

"Thank you, Chancellor," she said before forcing an expression to match her words - a grin very similar to the one the old gentleman wore since his arrival.

Apparently, being pressed for more important matters, the Chancellor and his entourage left nearly as quickly as they had arrived. In their wake, stood a very angry group of Naboo females, plus one scowling Captain of the Guard.

_"What are we going to do now?" _Sabé asked.

"I don't know," Padmé answered. "Without the Chancellor's support, we're basically on our own."

Obi-Wan was torn. He knew Padmé had been counting on help from her government, and apparently that wasn't coming. However, if help was dependent upon the actions of the man he had just met? Perhaps it was best they had been refused.

Dealings with Chancellor Palpatine could only lead to one thing, and Obi-Wan felt that Padmé and Naboo had already suffered enough.


	36. Chapter 36

**Chapter Thirty-Six **

The following few days, Obi-Wan found Padmé to be unfocused and a bit distracted, as if she had lost her sense of direction. Perhaps it was time he shared his.

As they performed their nightly stroll through the refurbished palace gardens, Obi-Wan took her hand. It was becoming more and more comfortable to do so. Ever since sharing their first kiss, when he had expressed his desire to slow things down, Padmé had made an effort to do just that. Sometimes, especially in the middle of the night when he couldn't sleep, he regretted having made the suggestion. However, Obi-Wan strongly believed anything worthwhile took time, just like the these gardens, which were far from reaching their former beauty.

Captain Panaka used to accompany them on these walks, but gradually Obi-Wan had gained his trust as well, and now they could stroll along together, in the privacy of their own company.

It was beneath a recently planted Arboray tree, upon a mound of lush green grass, Obi-Wan pulled Padmé down to a kneeling position. Silently, he placed her hands on each of her bent knees, palms open to the sky, before mimicking the same actions. He took a deep breath and explained:

"When I was young and under the care of a kind, elderly man I called, "Sir," he taught me how to control the havoc and chaos of everything about me by focusing inward, upon the power which sustained me, guided me...which led me to you," he paused and smiled before he continued.

"Since then, I began experiencing visions during these moments of reflection, as well as in my dreams. At the time, I hadn't realized what I was seeing, and not much of it made sense. However, I had faith I was being shown these things for a reason, that I was given these insights to fulfill a purpose I could not yet see or understand. I had no idea what any of it meant, until I stepped forth into this world and found you. Now, I can see exactly where my path lies, although the journey is far from complete.

I was hoping to share with you what I've experienced, all that I've seen and discovered, and maybe you'll begin to understand where your future now lies, since it obviously no longer lies in leading the people of Naboo."

Obi-Wan could tell his words stung a little, but it was time Padmé stopped feeling sorry for herself and opened her eyes to a much bigger picture, although even he wasn't sure what that was exactly.

She nodded once and gazed at him with such honest acceptance, it stole his breath away. Before they began, and not quite being sure what was about to happen, Obi-Wan decided there was one thing he needed to take care of first.

Coming up to his knees, he leaned forward, cupping Padmé's face in his hands, placing a tender and somewhat lingering kiss to her mouth. The touch had been unexpected and she opened up to him like a blossom to rain, her mouth in quick pursuit of more when he withdrew, but there was much to be done before he allowed himself the pleasure of Padmé's touch.

"Wait," he stopped her, caressing her lips with the slide of a single digit. "I'm not sure what we're about to discover, but before we begin, I wanted you to know how much I admire and adore you. Do I have your trust?"

Her eyes darted back and forth to his as if he had asked a rather obvious question. "Completely," she answered.

"Good. Then, let's begin."

Returning to his previous position, Obi-Wan breathed deeply and asked Padmé to do the same.

"Clear your mind," he told her. "Now...close your eyes. Focus on the sounds you hear, the smells about you. The flowering trees, the chirping birds, the distant rippling waters, Sabé complaining to the kitchen staff about the lack of seasoning in her food."

He heard Padmé snicker and smiled himself before returning to the task at hand. "Now. Find the energy which moves between them all, which binds them together. It flows from the rocks, to the trees, to the waterfalls, and even from Sabé. Do you see it?"

Padmé did as Obi-Wan instructed, doing her best to focus even with the distracting memory of his kiss.

"Take your time. You can not only see it, you can feel it. A steady, pulsating, living entity all about us. Between us. Look."

Padmé ignored the birds, the trees, and everything else, and instead concentrated on what was most important to her: Obi-Wan. It was then that everything came into focus and a shimmering pale blue glow appeared, outlining his body. Around her was more of a rose shade, and together, in the middle between them, it blended to be something closer to lilac.

"I see it," she uttered in fascination.

"Now, follow me."

Almost as if it were truly happening, Padmé stood and took Obi-Wan's hand as they walked together into the distance; the gardens, the falls, Naboo itself vanishing behind them. Before them, amidst a velvety cloak of darkness hung the planet of Coruscant, which boasted the capital of the Republic - Galactic City, along with the Galactic Senate. Being an ecumenopolis, it presented itself in space as a sphere of silver and golden manufactured light - so unlike the natural and blues and greens of Naboo.

As they viewed the city planet, Padmé noticed a thick, black ooze beginning to seep from its periphery, reaching outward across the galaxy, engulfing every planet and sector in its path. She and Obi-Wan retreated just beyond the dark shadow's reach, until they found themselves back on Naboo, standing in the Grassy Plains outside the city. In the vision, it was springtime, with the gentle flow and color of the tall grasses broken up only by the red blossoms of the millaflower. The setting would have been peaceful if it weren't for the approaching shadow, which continued creeping toward them, swallowing Varykino, Theed, and onward across the plains, leaving nothing but blackened crags and gray ash in its wake. When it swept upon them and over them, Padmé shielded her face with her free hand, the other still firmly in Obi-Wan's grasp, and although she felt safe, she could not mistake the sense of absolute evil which accompanied the dark wave.

After it had passed, there was nothing behind it. To Padmé, it felt all too similar to death, but not just of a single planet or system, but of an entire galaxy.

The suffering of the millions who had been tortured or died in the wave weighed heavily upon them, bringing both Obi-Wan and Padmé to their knees upon the scorched earth; the pressure only lessening when they supported one another in an embrace. Padmé held tightly to Obi-Wan, unsure how much more she could take, when the burden lifted unexpectedly, and she heard his voice once again.

"Look," he whispered, and together, they turned to view across the plains to a long line of shadowy figures which now crossed the horizon. They were too far away to discern any specific features, but who they were was not as important as what they were here for as one by one, spears of glowing colors came to life in their hands, casting a prism of light up into the dark sky like the promise of a rainbow following a devastating storm.

She then heard Obi-Wan say her name and felt his pull, not on her hand, but somehow in her mind. Padmé responded, resurfacing back in the palace gardens, and opened her eyes to see a much beloved face.

"Who were they?" she immediately asked.

Obi-Wan pondered the vision for a moment as Padmé patiently waited. She had had her share of dreams in the past, but never anything quite like this. She was counting on him to interpret exactly what they'd seen, confident he would be able to do so. He had much more experience in these things than she did.

"Soturi," he explained finally, wonderment in his voice. "I know what we must do."

She waited again, nearly frantic in anticipation, though fully committed to whatever he was about to say, no matter what it was. Wherever Obi-Wan was going, she would follow.

"We must build an army," he told her. "An Army of Soturi."


	37. Chapter 37

**Chapter Thirty-Seven**

"Pasi su kainin!"

It was nearing third hour when Obi-Wan yelped out another expletive, apparently having shocked his fingers once again as he and Captain Panaka worked on their project. Padmé ignored the outburst, stifling a yawn as she observed the two men.

"Are you going to tell me what he said?" Panaka asked her from across the workspace, as he held a glowlight intensifier for Obi-Wan.

"I most certainly am not," Padmé told him. "My mother taught me never to use such language."

"This would be a lot simpler if we could communicate," Panaka noted while Obi-Wan worked, his complete concentration on disassembling the laser sword, jotting down notes as he went. "And look at that script! How am I even to begin to read that?"

Padmé gazed over at the journal Obi-Wan had been using by choice, opting out of the datapad Panaka had tried to convince him to try instead. She thought his handwriting was lovely and the written language of Avi-Kao was a beautiful script with a variety of loops and accents, dashes and swirls. But even though she understood him audibly, she couldn't make out a single syllable of his written word either.

"You're on your own with that," she told the Captain. "I can't help you. It seems to me, you're the only one who can assist Obi-Wan with learning Basic. Since we share this gift of understanding one another, I simply can't be the one to teach him."

"I'm not a linguistics professor, you know." Panaka groused. Padmé blamed his unusual crankiness on the lateness of the hour. Panaka's wall chronometer had chimed out third hour a few minutes ago, but Obi-Wan was so excited about starting, he couldn't wait until morning. "What I need is an auto-translator. Don't we have one? We used to."

Padmé retraced her memories of when she and the handmaidens had begun labeling and packing any salvageable equipment in the storage units. She thought she remembered coming across a functioning translator, but she didn't think that would resolve the issue.

"Listen," Padmé tried to put on a friendly face, but was just too tired "Obi-Wan is soon going to be heading out into different systems to recruit fighters with talents like his. If he's going to be successful, he needs to at least have a minimal grasp of Basic. Since you're the only one who spends time with him other than me, the task is in your hands."

Padmé stood then, walked around the table to place a tender goodnight kiss to Obi-Wan's forehead. The young man barely looked up, a quick smile acknowledging the gesture. Then she stepped toward the exit of Panaka's workroom.

"Where do you think you're going?" her chief of security asked.

"To bed. Good night!" she cheerfully replied before briskly leaving the room.

Captain Panaka observed the nimble movements of Obi-Wan's fingers as he removed the field energizers to study the energy channel and modulation circuits. The innards of the weapon held a few surprises, but nothing Panaka didn't think could be reproduced. Except when it came to those crystals. There were two inside the sword; one primary one, and then a smaller one apparently acting as a focusing agent for the blade. They didn't have anything like them on Naboo.

Obi-Wan picked up the larger one he had removed from the casing and held it to the light. It cast of a prism of white and blue light against the dark table.

"Crystal," Panaka told him. "Kathracite, I believe."

"Crystal," Obi-Wan repeated with a heavy accent. "Sinu nama talla? Uhm..." he tried again, his brow creasing in concentration. "Is on Naboo?"

"No," Panaka tried to explain. "Not on Naboo."

Obi-Wan's frown increased as he placed the vital artifact onto Panaka's outstretched palm. "Oyta," the young man exclaimed, pointing to the crystal and then expanding his hand. "Oyta sika."

"More? We need to find more? Is that what you're saying?" This was ridiculous! Where was that damn autotranslator?

"Kya, kya." Obi-Wan proceeded to demonstrate a row of swords placed upon the table, one after another. He then pointed to the crystal in Panaka's hand and pretended to place one in each chamber he was imagining.

"Oyta," Obi-Wan repeated, apparently counting on his fingers, holding up two and a thumb. "Du kolma stata," Obi-Wan told him.

"Three?" Panaka asked, holding up three fingers of his own, only causing Obi-Wan to shake his head and physically bend down one of the fingers and bring up a thumb. "Three hundred?" Panaka corrected his earlier translation. "You mean to tell me, you plan on building three hundred of these laser sword things?"

"Three hundred," Obi-Wan echoed envisioning the amount spread across the broad work table. "Kolma stata."

"Apparently you're the one in charge of this operation, but I don't think you understand what you're getting yourself into. I can recreate most of the components with my own machinery. I even have a diatium laser, though I've never actually used it. Picked it up at the same auction I got that sword at as a matter of fact. I can probably figure out how to use it, and maybe I can modify some of the programs I already have to do the rest, but these crystals. We're going to have to go someplace else for those."

Obi-Wan stared at him while he spoke, almost as if he was understanding him, though Panaka was sure he hadn't.

"Let's go check the Holonet for some information," he suggested, rising to walk to the door of his study where he had to wait for Obi-Wan, who seemed hesitant to leave the disassembled weapon behind. Once the young man began trailing him, Panaka went to his comm station and logged onto his data unit.

"Do a search for kathracite crystals," he spoke directly to the Holonet program, which immediately reacted to his voice command.

_"There are three sectors near to you, which will provide the item you are searching for," _the datacomm announced as it provided a detailed list on its screen. Panaka viewed the information, deciding they should travel to the closest planet first, even though the trip was going to take four days at hyperspeed. He pointed to the screen and then glanced toward Obi-Wan, who'd been staring over his shoulder the entire time.

"Ilum," Panaka read aloud with some distaste. "It's an ice planet. Be sure to pack your thermals."

"Ilum," Obi-Wan repeated with determination. "We go."


	38. Chapter 38

**Chapter Thirty-Eight**

Before the GRS had packed up and left Theed, having done everything they could to help, they had managed to repair the Queen's Cruiser which had been damaged during the Neimoidian attack on the East end of the hangar near the spaceport. The ship comfortably seated four in the piloting station and was built to accommodate all the handmaidens, as well as boasting a conference area for negotiations. As the planet's leader, Padmé had her own private quarters on board, as did the guards who usually accompanied her.

But guards were not needed on this voyage. Nor were her handmaidens.

And much to his dismay, neither was Captain Panaka - who stood at the base of the ramp arguing with her.

"I insist on traveling with you! What if you encounter danger? Or you come under attack?"

Padmé was pleased the man had always been so careful with her protection, but there was no need for him to worry. "Don't you think Obi-Wan can handle anything that may happen?" she asked him, causing Panaka to scowl with disapproval.

"I imagine he can, but you said so yourself, he needed to practice his Basic. How can he do that if someone other than yourself aren't around him?"

Padmé was humored with his attempts to convince her and wondered about his persistence. "I'll have him listen to some archived communications on the way."

Apparently, the Captain wasn't convinced. "You know that won't do a bit of good."

"Why do you want to help him so much, all of a sudden?" she asked.

"Not him, exactly," Panaka tried to explain, shuffling his feet. "I'm just worried about you. What is something happens? You should at least take Sabé with you."

"Sabé is to stay here and assist you, as are all the handmaidens. I am not acting as Queen for the moment. You understand that, right?"

"I've heard you mention that, yes," Panaka continued to pout, his stubborness showing in the way he now stood with his arms crossed over his chest. "But it doesn't mean I agree with you. Until your resignation or death, you will be Queen."

"Naboo doesn't need a Queen right now. It's too early to explain," Padmé stepped forward, and placed a supportive hand on Panaka's forearm. "Just know that Obi-Wan and I have nothing but good intentions for Theed and those who have chosen to stay. Our place in the galaxy may have changed, but in the end, Naboo will a beacon for everyone."

She tried to express as much authority and confidence as she could in her words, although Panaka's arched brow indicated his doubts anyway.

"Trust me," she demanded. "And have the girls help you begin construction on those weapons while we're gone."

"The girls?" Panaka asked aghast, as if he thought she were joking.

Padmé chuckled warmly. "Yes, the girls. They did study basic engineering in the academy. They're quite capable of assisting you." She turned and walked up the ramp, pausing before activating its closing device. "Your quota is three-hundred by the time we get back," she teased, just to see the look of disbelief on his face.

"Sure thing, Your Majesty. We'll get right on that."

His reply was droll, and caused Padmé to smile as she activated the mechanism and then turned to join Obi-Wan in the piloting station, noting he had already seated himself in the co-pilot's chair. Earlier, she had given him a quick tour of the ship, showing him the essentials of a long journey; the galley, fresher location, as well as the sleep chambers. He actually had a choice of two different ones: the crew lounge, or the handmaiden lounge. She had almost offered to allow him to stay with her in the Queen's Chamber, but recalled his hesitance when it came to intimate physical contact. Slowing down their relationship to the pace of a space slug had been his idea, and at first she had agreed, but now, she was finding it extremely frustrating! She couldn't count the number of times she had wanted to kiss him, to press her body against him, and show Obi-Wan how much she truly desired him.

It was a good thing the 'fresher on board had plenty of cool, running water. She had the feeling she was going to need it.

Once she'd checked the systems and adjusted the navigation controls, Padmé announced they were ready to depart. There was no one in the control tower to request takeoff from, seeing there was no longer a control tower. Instead, Padmé assumed the skies were as clear as they had been since the invasion, and she fired the turbines, sending a vibration across the hull of the cruiser. Next, she activated the antigrav generators, followed by the ascent thrusters. The ship lurched up from the plasteel deck, and slowly Padmé manuevered out the hangar portal. Once clearing the exit, she increased thrust and began the climb up through Naboo's atmosphere. The cruiser shimmied as it fought against the planet's gravitational pull, and Padmé took a quick glance toward Obi-Wan. His returning smile was a bit watery, and his grip on the sides of his seat was white-knuckled.

"Almost there," she announced, returning her attention to the system monitors. "The ride will get much smoother once we're in space."

There was no reply from the co-pilot's seat. Padmé knew Obi-Wan would have difficulty adapting to space flight, but for the timebeing he was going to have to wait for any support from her. There was a red light warning indicating one of the reactors was overheating. She quickly shut it down, hoping that would solve the problem. Once the light turned green again, Padmé exhaled a sigh of relief. There were four reactors on the ship, and as long as the other three remained stable, there shouldn't be a problem. She hoped.

When that was taken care of, Padmé drew her attention to the navigation system, logged in the preset coordinates for Ilum, and prepared to activate the hyperdrive.

"Hold on," she warned Obi-Wan, offering him a quick smile, though somewhat alarmed at the paleness of his features.

Padmé punched the control, hurdling the ship through hyperspace - an event which sometimes made her queasy, and she had been experiencing space flight since she was a little girl. She couldn't imagine what Obi-Wan was feeling right now.

"Are you all right?" she asked the young man, releasing the seat's security straps about her chest and rising to do the same for him.

"Fine," he answered quietly, although he didn't look fine. In fact, Padmé thought his appearance had definitely taken on a greenish hue.

As soon as he was free, Obi-Wan smiled sheepishly and then bolted from the station. Padmé followed, actually hearing him before she saw him. He had ended up in the galley where he was retching in the disposal unit.

Feeling quite sorry for him, Padmé opened a cabinet and removed a towlette, dampened it in the sink and then proceeded to clean Obi-Wan's pale face with it.

"You shouldn't be watching this," he groaned, before spitting into the receptacle some more.

"It doesn't bother me," she told him, rubbing his back as he suffered through several dry heaves. "My care and concern far outweigh my disgust," she teased.

Obi-Wan reached back to take the towel from her hand and wiped his own mouth with it. "Sorry about that. I couldn't make it to the 'fresher."

"Not a problem. I'll clean it up later," she announced before Obi-Wan stumbled back slowly.

"No, I'll do it. I made the mess, I'll clean it up."

Padmé knew he meant what he said, but when the ship automatically adjusted its course, Obi-Wan fell heavily against her, and it was all she could do to support him. Behind the galley was the handmaidens' chamber, and she assisted Obi-Wan into it, guiding him to lie down on a bunk.

"I'll be right back," she informed him, quickly returning to the galley, where she pulled out a med kit. Removing what she needed from it, she returned hastily to Obi-Wan's side, sympathetic to the way he must be feeling. He simply looked awful!

"Here," she said before placing a hyperspray to his neck. "This should help with the motion sickness. I'm so sorry. I didn't know how badly you were going to react to the flight. I wasn't thinking."

A grunt of reply was all Obi-Wan could manage, as he squeezed his eyes closed tightly and gripped his swimming head with his hands.

Padmé had added a bit of a sleep agent to the kinetosis therapy. Hopefully, one or both of them would work or else this was going to a long, miserable trip.


	39. Chapter 39

**Chapter Thirty-Nine**

It had nearly been sixteen hours since she had administered the hypospray, and Obi-Wan still hadn't moved a muscle. Padmé checked on him regularly, deciding it was better not to wake him; at least not until they had reached Ilum and made their landing.

She had slept quite a bit herself, opting not to relax in her own private chamber at the rear of the ship, but to lie down in the bunk opposite Obi-Wan in the handmaiden's area. Padmé had tried to convince herself she was there to keep an eye on him, but it was a rather pointless argument. She couldn't deny her feelings. She was sleeping there in order to be close to him; to listen to his breathing, to watch his peaceful features as he continued enjoying his drug-induced stupor.

It was better than having him vomit all over the place. Sooner or later, though, Obi-Wan was going to have to get used to space travel.

She wouldn't offer the meds to him very often, though she didn't wish for him to suffer. It was just going to take time and perhaps some type of distraction to keep his mind off the dizzying effects of hyperdrive propulsion.

From the pilot's station, Padmé heard the chiming of the locator, signaling they were entering the Unknown Regions. In another six hours or so, they would reach Ilum.

Not wishing to abandon the pleasant scenery, Padmé had to force herself to rise from the bunk, freshen up a bit, and then head to the control center. Once there, she switched on the front view portal in order to watch the approaching system. Soon, she would take the ship out of hyperdrive and they would continue at a much slower pace. Perhaps then, Obi-Wan would be able to handle the sensations.

The navigation system informed Padmé when it was time to do come out of hyperspeed, and she responded to its warning, initiating the shutdown of the hyperdrive core. The force of the motion set Padmé firmly back in her seat, the blur of the stars outside the portal to come into focus, as did the distant silver point, which was Ilum.

"Is that it?"

Padmé was startled to hear Obi-Wan's voice behind her, but figured the shuddering of the drop out of hyperspace was what woke him.

"That's Ilum," she explained. "How are you feeling?"

"Much better, thanks. Whatever it was you gave me really knocked me out though. How long have I been asleep?" Obi-Wan asked as he rubbed the sleep from his eyes.

"Almost a day," she answered, rotating her seat to smile at him, admiring the way his hair was sticking up and out in all directions, and the stubble of whiskers which shadowed his chin.

"That long? Did I miss anything?"

"Other than second and third meal, no," Padmé noted upon rising. "Are you hungry? There's plenty to choose from in the galley. I even think Rabé stashed some tart crisps in one of the cabinets. They may help settle your stomach."

Obi-Wan slowly stepped toward the pilot's seat and eased himself into it, keeping his focus on the objects darting by on the viewscreen. "No, I think I'll just sit right here. I don't feel so dizzy when I can see what's going on outside."

She should've thought of that. Of course, he would be disoriented without the view. However, during hyperspace travel, that wasn't an option. Not on this ship.

"How many are there?"

"Pardon me?" Padmé asked, rotating the copilot's seat round more closely to Obi-Wan.

"Planets. How many are out there?"

"Nobody knows for sure," she tried to explain, thinking she probably needed to keep her explanation simple, but quickly changing her mind. She had tried that in the past, but so far, Obi-Wan had handled everything he'd been confronted with quite well. He could probably handle this as well.

"It's hard to say, because not every system has been explored, and some are even out of reach, either by distance or system anomalies which make travel to them impossible. The last study revealed there are approximately seven billion inhabitable planets in this galaxy."

"Seven billion," Obi-Wan repeated slowly in awe, his brows rising, his jaw dropping. "Amazing."

His focus returned to the screen, as Ilum drew nearer, its icy terrain revealing more detail of its many caverns and snow-covered peaks.

"Do you need to sit here?" Obi-Wan asked suddenly, shifting to stand and vacate the pilot's seat.

Padmé rotated back around to activate her own screen and transfer thruster controls. "No, I can maneuver from here. You might want to strap yourself in, though."

Obi-Wan did as she suggested, swallowing thickly. He was obviously beginning to become stressed again.

"I'm a good pilot," she teased. "Was at the top of my class at the academy."

Obi-Wan chuckled nervously. "It's not you I'm worried about, just the lack of…ground."

"It should be a fairly uneventful landing. Scans indicate no immediate danger of storm activity where we're headed."

The planet was now filling up the screen, the barren icy plains moving rapidly past the portal.

"Don't tell me anyone lives here," Obi-Wan grinned, glancing over to Padmé quickly before returning to the view.

"Just a non sentient species called Gorgodons. Big hairy fellows with really sharp teeth."

Obi-Wan's grin disappeared. "I should've brought my sword."

"You insisted on leaving it for Panaka to reference" Padmé reminded him. "No worries though. I've got this." With a single hand, she slapped the blaster pistol which hung against her thigh. "Just sit back and relax. We'll be landing soon."

Scans indicated a flat plain just to the south of one of the biggest mountains, Padmé was hoping would include a cave they could explore. She was planning on landing there, until a strange pulling sensation tugged upon her conscience. She steered the cruiser thirty degrees to the north-east and settled the ship on a more rocky slope near the edge of a deep crater, just past the mountain. It didn't make much sense, but Padmé had learned long ago to always trust her intuition.

Once ensuring the landing was secure, Padmé began the docking procedures as the turbines hissed and cooled, their heat causing a dense fog to rise about the ship.

"See? No problem," she noted with a wry grin, noticing the one Obi-Wan returned was not quite as confident. But at least he hadn't run back off to the galley again. The medicine she had given him should've worn off by now, so he was apparently improving. That was a good thing, since they did have to fly back home.

"Let's get bundled up," Padmé told him, rising from her seat to walk back to the guard's quarters where she had hung up their thermal suits and gear.

They both dressed quickly, donning winter boots, fur-lined gloves, and coats with hoods, as well as goggles and a thermal wrap about their throats.

"Ready?" Padmé asked once she was satisfied they would escape any chance of frostbite. However, Obi-Wan continued to look uneasy, and she had a suspicion why.

"I would feel better if I was armed," he admitted. "Especially with those Gordons out there."

"Gorgodons," Padmé corrected him playfully before turning to dig through a pack she had brought; one big enough to accommodate any crystals they found. "Then, perhaps you'd feel better with this?"

From inside the duffel, Padmé pulled out the silver sword the battledroids had taken from Obi-Wan. It had been discovered during the cleanup of Theed, and she had held onto since then. She was proud to be returning it to him now, especially when she saw the relief it brought to his features.

"Thank you," he sighed gratefully, leaning forward to place a kiss on her forehead. "Now, let's go find those crystals."


	40. Chapter 40

**Chapter Forty**

The current outside temperature was –17C. Quite sultry for a summer's day on Ilum. Despite that fact, they would still need to find their destination quickly. Already Padmé could feel the cold seeping through her fur-lined cloak and beginning to bite at her ears beneath the thermal wrap and hood.

Speed might be a problem however, as Obi-Wan seemed quite distracted by the several things; one in particular being the snow. He had stopped walking already and bent over to apparently test its texture in his hand. Padmé observed him quietly, a rather ornery idea beginning to form in her mind.

* * *

Cold was something he was not accustomed to. Another thing to add to his endless list of discoveries in this strange galaxy which had become his home.

It had taken a few days to adjust to the humidity of Naboo, but this – this frozen tundra, crisp and white as far as he could see was astounding. As was the breath escaping the wrap about his face which created little puffs of smoke in the air, and for some reason, his toes were beginning to grow numb.

It was the texture of the ground, however, which Obi-Wan found most intriguing, and he couldn't resist taking a moment to check its consistency between his gloved fingers.

Some of it had turned to liquid once it came in contact with the friction of his actions, but most of the powdery stuff was swept away in the bitter cold winds which blew across the plain.

Obi-Wan was tempted to remove his glove to experience what the white stuff felt like to his bare skin, but he didn't have to.

Without much warning, the side of his face not entirely protected by the thermal wrap was splattered with a projectile of cold and wet, which stung his skin like the tiny prickles from the desert koutai plant.

Obi-Wan brushed the remnants of ice from his face before spinning round to find Padmé apparently having the time of her life. She immediately erupted into a fit of giggles.

"I'm so glad I had the nerve to do that," she said, removing her wrap, once she'd caught her breath. "You should've seen your face!"

She had done that on purpose? For what reason? Other than obviously for her own personal enjoyment. He didn't understand the what for, but wasn't exactly opposed to the idea of sharing an enjoyable moment with the woman he loved.

Obi-Wan pulled his thermal aside as well, revealing a playful smirk which lifted the corner mouth; a warning Padmé was about to get what was coming to her. He leaned sideways to scoop up another handful of ice and snow and began manipulating it into a sphere.

"You wouldn't," she uttered, backing away a few steps.

"Now who's the one to look surprised?" he teased her. He had no intention of throwing it at her, but perhaps stuffing a bit of the ice inside her cloak would teach her a lesson.

"Obi-Wan! Don't you dare!" she warned, just as he let out a loud whoop and leaped forward in pursuit.

Padmé backed away only a few steps, boldly standing her ground when he reached her, even when Obi-Wan stepped in close, the ball of snow he held tightly in his fist right next to her face.

Obi-Wan continued displaying a rather cocky grin while wrapping his free arm underneath Padmé's cloak and about her body, drawing her up tightly against him.

"I was going to drop this down your back," he joked, the allure of her lips drawing his attention. "But for some reason, I've completely changed my mind."

Padmé's delighted gaze convinced Obi-Wan to empty his hand and fill it with the gray fur outlining her beautiful face. He pulled gently upon the hood and drew her upward to his waiting mouth. She succumbed to the will of his lips and tongue quite readily, winding her own arms beneath Obi-Wan's heavy mantle.

It was the type of kiss that produced a large amount of heat, and the longer it lasted, the more Obi-Wan could feel his insides turn to molten steel; which slowly oozed its way through his body until it reached his toes. He wouldn't be at all surprised to discover a puddle had formed beneath their feet.

The kiss was intense and passionate, and he poured all of himself as well as his focus into it.

Which was why he didn't notice the thin crack which had formed in the frozen crust where they stood, nor could he stop either one of them from plummeting down the side of the crater he had thought they were a safe distance from.

During the fall, Obi-Wan had managed to hold onto Padmé, forcing their bodies to twist in order to take the blunt of the impact against his own back.

They landed heavily at the bottom, partially covered with the avalanche their fall had created.

Obi-Wan spat out pieces of ice which had gotten into his mouth, his immediate attention back on Padmé. "Are you hurt?"

"I don't think so," she told him as she lay sprawled on top of him, a rather wicked smile once more appearing on her face. "We should do this more often."

The woman had a strange sense of humor. It was part of her charm, as was the fact Obi-Wan had never met anyone like her before. "What? Fall down a cliff?" he asked.

"Everything happens for a reason," she announced, still smiling, and not even attempting to rise until Obi-Wan prompted her to. The chill was beginning to reach his backside.

They stood and Obi-Wan began to dust the snow off both of them as he continued the conversation. "I've heard that said before, but really? Everything?" he joked, only to be drawn around by the firm pressure of Padmé's hand upon his face.

Obi-Wan spun to look where Padmé obviously wished for him to and beheld some type of structure built into the side of the crater which abutted the mountainside. It was apparently a manufactured entrance with peaked towers and a wide opening surrounding a heavy door.

Intrigued, they both rushed toward it, discovering writing above the door, etched into the stone header.

"What does it say?" Obi-Wan asked.

Padmé stared at the figures for a while, her brows coming together in concentration. "I'm not sure," she answered finally. "This appears to be some ancient form of Basic, but its written in a type of code I can't make out."

Obi-Wan definitely couldn't decipher its meaning, but one thing he did know, and that was nothing was going to keep him from going inside.

"Shall we knock first?" he asked, continuing to support their previous mood.

"No need to bother," Padmé replied as she pushed open the door and bravely stepped into the darkness. "We're expected."


	41. Chapter 41

**Chapter Forty-One**

There was no source of outside light entering the building, and so Obi-Wan and Padmé were initially forced to use the small glowlights Padmé had placed in their utility belts.

At first, the main entry appeared to be completely vacant, but as their eyes adjusted to the darkness, Obi-Wan could make out a sculpture which stood in the middle of the space just beyond the entrance.

"Is it ice?" Padmé asked as they approached the object.

Obi-Wan didn't think so, but confirmed his suspicions through touch. "It's crystal. The entire thing is made from a single, huge shard."

The nearly translucent monument stood at least three meters tall, and resembled no one Obi-Wan had ever seen. Its features were masculine, the arms held up, feet planted apart, as if the man were in a defensive posture and ready for battle. In the sculpted hands was a sword, much like the one Panaka had given him. A flowing cloak swept out and away from broad shoulders, over what appeared to be several layers of clothing, with loose pants tucked into tall boots. The man's jaw was chiseled, the eyes piercing. Even though the pose was intimidating, the face revealed absolute serenity.

At the base of the depiction was another engraving, one which Padmé was able to make out.

"Jedi Knight," she read aloud.

Obi-Wan liked the sound of the words, but was once again drawn to the face. He continued studying it for a while until coming to a conclusion as to why it interested him so much. Whoever this sculpture represented was obviously a warrior, but he was not a killer; a barbaric fighter as Obi-Wan once was, but from this point on vowed no longer to be.

Even with a sword in his hand, he wished to hold the peace this man portrayed in his heart. Was that possible?

"Master Rejavari, that is," a gravily voice spoke from the shadows of the room, which should've surprised them both, but it didn't.

Obi-Wan had almost expected someone to meet them here, and Padmé, herself had already mentioned they were expected.

However, Obi-Wan didn't quite expect to see who came tottering into the halo of light cast about them.

"It's the Old Farmer," he whispered to Padmé, before stumbling forward to fall on his knees. He'd always done so when speaking with the old man, mostly to save himself from straining his neck, but also out of the deep respect he held for him.

Once fully into the light, however, Obi-Wan began to doubt his senses. The voice had been the same, and the distant shadowed appearance had as well, but even in the blue glow of a spiritual existence, Obi-Wan noticed several distinct differences. For one, this creature's ears were far more pointed, his stature even more small, and if Obi-Wan wasn't mistaken, his skin was quite…green.

"Are you…" Obi-Wan stammered staring blankly at him, "the one who raised me?"

"Deceiving you, are your own eyes?" the spirit replied in a manner very similar to the one Obi-Wan had become accustomed to as a child.

"Well, the light in here is a bit dim, and this is a strange place," he explained, casting his awareness out, which was not only accepted, but developed and returned, bringing Obi-Wan to a belief he was having difficulty accepting just yet.

"Look at me not with your eyes then," the creature advised, leaning forward on the exact replica of the walking stick Obi-Wan had crafted for the Old Farmer when he was eleven years old.

Once again, Obi-Wan focused upon the power which had never failed to guide him, finding it once again to be near and true.

"Sir," Obi-Wan bowed his head, his eyes misting with sorrow.

A touch upon his shoulder caused him to lift his gaze, however to behold a friendly face and wide smile.

"You look…different," Obi-Wan noted as Padmé joined him.

"In this form, find you on Avi-Kao, I could not," was the Old Farmer's reply, the announcement causing Obi-Wan to believe this man..or whatever he was…hadn't been a farmer after all. What was he then? Who was he exactly?

"Many questions have you," the voice crackled in a pleasant manner. "Answers to them all, I have not, though some I do."

Obi-Wan filtered the many thoughts filling his mind, picking the most obvious one to begin with. "What's your name?"

"For nearly eight generations, Yoda, I have been called."

"Yoda," Obi-Wan replied. It was a strange name, but somehow, it suited him.

Obi-Wan settled more deeply upon the ground, grateful for the supportive hand Padmé had placed into his. It had been many years since Obi-Wan had pondered such thoughts, and finally having the chance to clarify a few matters was unsettling for some reason.

"What happened to you?" he blurted out finally. "I went out to the fields and you were gone. The servants told me you had passed on. You left me there with no one, and I was sold as a slave and sent to work in the Pit!"

Yoda stood quite still and allowed Obi-Wan to express his pain, to rid himself of the grief and disappointment he had been carrying around with him for so long. It was time to get past all of this and move forward.

"Pass on, I have. Into the Force, did I go. Taught you all I could though the path was yours to choose, and choose well, you did. Proud of you, I am, Obi-Wan."

A squeeze upon his hand signaled the obvious importance of that statement, and words which should've made Obi-Wan feel much better. They did to an extent, but there was still much to explain and much to be aware of.

Starting with: "What is the Force?"

Another smile split the broad mouth of Yoda. "Already know you what it is. Use it daily you do, but call it something else. The Power, I believe you say."

"Explain, please," Padmé spoke up then, and just at that second, it occurred to Obi-Wan that she was also witnessing this event. She was seeing Yoda with her own eyes. Did that mean she could feel the Power…or the Force as well?

"Guides you, it does. Speaks to you inside, it can. Helps you decide, tells you what is good from evil, it will."

"Does it give you dreams?" Padmé asked.

"Not dreams, but foretellings they are," Yoda explained. "Dream not, do Jedi, but foresee the possibility of things to happen, they do."

Obi-Wan heard Padmé exhale slowly. He knew exactly how she felt. This was a lot of information to take in at once, and he had a bad feeling that this was just the beginning.

"Am I to be a Jedi?" she asked, surprising him completely with her bold question.

"A knight you shall not be, but a great help to those who are. Many gifts you have, Queen Amidala, and use them for the good of all, you shall."

"What about me?" Obi-Wan asked once Yoda had finished addressing Padmé. "Was I truly sent here to create an army? What am I supposed to do with it once I have one?"

"Suspect, you do. The darkness you have met. Evil, once again take over the galaxy it will, unless succeed, you do. Guardians of peace, the Jedi have been, and will be once again, though, up to you that depends."

Now speechless and completely overwhelmed, Obi-Wan turned to gaze at Padmé who smiled tenderly at him and nodded her head in an expression of support and confidence. When Qui-Gon had told him she would be a great to him, Obi-Wan hadn't understood exactly what he meant by that until now. If he had to perform this task alone, he wasn't sure he could do it.

"I have many more questions, Sir…uhm, Master Yoda."

"Answers you seek, hm? Come with me, you shall," Yoda replied, stepping forward with the aid of his cane, toward the side of the great room he and Padmé hadn't explored yet.

They followed him to the wall where there was a long table also constructed from crystal. On top of the table was a thick tablet of the same material, an engraving in its cover of a sword with a central starburst, outlined on either side by a pair of upturned wings. It was apparently a symbol of some sort.

"Take this with you, you shall. Study it. Inside, all the answers will you find."

Obi-Wan did as instructed and picked up the heavy volume, removing the duffel from Padmé's back to place it in, and then carried the pack himself.

When he turned back around to Yoda, Obi-Wan noticed a definite loss of strength in the ethereal glow surrounding him.

"Will I see you again?" Obi-Wan couldn't help to ask. At one time in his life, Yoda had been a father to him, and he hadn't realized how much he missed him.

"Matters not. Succeed you must, or suffer, many will." Yoda told him, as his time grew shorter. May the Force be with you."

When Yoda had vanished completely, the room was cast back into darkness, and Padmé and Obi-Wan both were forced to activate their glowlamps, which illuminated nearly the entire space, even as far back to the wall, in the center of which stood another door, quite similar to the one they had entered through.

"This way," Padmé told him.

Once they had reached it, only then did Padmé notice the door had no mechanism to open it, nor did it budge when she pushed against it.

Obi-Wan stepped back and gazed at the obstacle, finding no instructions or markings of any kind.

At somewhat of a loss, he recalled the words of Yoda, and took a deep breath to focus not on the problem, but on the voice inside himself.

This power Yoda had called the Force flowed to his hand, and was tingling his fingertips, much like the ball of snow he had held earlier. Only this time, Obi-Wan decided to throw it, casting the strength of the Force toward the door, which flew open with its invisible impact.

Slack-jawed, Padmé turned to him. "Impressive. You have to teach me how to do that."

Without pause, she entered first, followed by Obi-Wan, although they didn't get far. Above them, beside them, in the walls, on the floors, in the ceiling, were thousands, if not millions of crystallic formations. They stuck out of the walls in huge chunks, jutted up from the floor in long spikes, and hung down from the ceilings in shards reaching up to nearly ten meters. They were translucent, multifaceted, mystical creations.

After setting down his lamp, Obi-Wan removed the duffel from his back, and then rummaged through it. He withdrew two autopicks, handing one off to Padmé with a grin.

"Let's get to it."


	42. Chapter 42

**Chapter Forty-Two**

It had only taken a short while to remove a couple of the larger shards of crystal which had grown out of the wall of the cave, which Padmé helped Obi-Wan tuck carefully into the duffel bag. The pack was now quite heavy, although Obi-Wan lifted it with minimal effort.

Padmé followed behind as they exited the cavern and passed through the strange building, using her lantern to light their way. Once outside, however, she paused to glance back at the doorway, an idea striking her.

"Obi-Wan, do what you did with the other door," she insisted, her focus upon the marks etched into the header.

Although he probably didn't understand why she had asked, Obi-Wan did exactly that and cast a wave of Force upward against the frame.

Padmé smiled with pleasure to discover her intuition once again had served her well, for when confronted with the concentration of power, the markings began to form letters, the letters transforming themselves into words; two words to be exact.

"Jedi Temple," she read aloud.

However, to Obi-Wan, the writing was still a jumble of slants and dashes.

"Is that what it says?" he asked her.

"Do you mean, you can't read it?"

Obi-Wan was slightly disappointed, but then recalled some recent advice to trust that all things, even the smallest things happen for a reason. This, was apparently one of those things.

"Not at all," he replied.

"Huh," Padmé responded simply before proceeding up the slope of the crater.

"I think you've just discovered one of your gifts," he told her as they both struggled to ascend.

"I can decode messages? How interesting," she said.

"You sound disappointed."

Padmé smiled and gave him a wink, "I'd much rather learn how to use one of those swords you're building."

Obi-Wan pictured Padmé wielding the weapon, twirling its deadly violet light about her head as she danced elegantly about. The vision had come to him quickly and without hesitance, and therefore he assumed, must be part of her destiny. A warrior? Maybe not. But that didn't mean he couldn't train her how to protect herself.

"It would be my pleasure to teach you," he offered while assisting her with the final step which brought them to the surface.

"I'd like that."

Obi-Wan could sense the pleasure not only in her smile, but in her tone. Making Padmé happy was quickly becoming a favorite pastime of his.

In the following seconds, however, the joy had disappeared from her face, and at the same time, Obi-Wan felt a sense of dread creeping upon him.

He turned to gaze at the distant horizon, out beyond the ship near the mountain, to see two lumbering beasts headed their way.

"Gorgodons," Padmé told him. "Two of them!"

Obi-Wan strengthened his sight, bringing the creatures into focus, noticing that indeed they had several rows of sharp teeth revealed through the open jaws Padmé had mentioned earlier, as well as enormous dagger-like claws which dangled off furred arms of such great length, they literally dragged the ground. Their nostrils flared repeatedly, which led Obi-Wan to believe they had already picked up on their scent.

Due to their large size and impressive pace, it wouldn't be long until they had overcome their prey.

Obi-Wan removed his sword from the pack, handing the bag to Padmé. "Take the crystals back to the ship."

"Obi-Wan, hurry and come with me," she argued. "You don't need to.."

"I'll be right behind you, now go!"

In Obi-Wan's mind, the gorgodons not only represented a threat to Padmé's safety, but revived the memory of two other beasts – the pair of rankor he had seen rip Qui-Gon into bits.

Filled with guilt over a loss he still deeply regretted, Obi-Wan boldly stepped forward, the snarling, slobbering beasts bearing down upon him.

"Obi-Wan!"

Somewhere amidst the red haze which filled his vision, he could hear Padmé's plea. It wasn't her voice which caught his attention, but the strong sense of disappointment he felt radiating from her instead.

Killing these creatures was not necessary. He still had time to escape; they both did.

He was no longer a savage, he reminded himself. He was a Jedi.

Choosing to deny the desire to kill which had been trained into him as a Soturi warrior, Obi-Wan instead hurtled a wave of Force power toward the creatures, which only stunned them to a slightly slower pace. However, it gave him just enough time to retreat back to the ship, where Padmé waited anxiously for him at the top of the ramp.

"Hurry!" she coaxed him and activated the door closed while he was still climbing it.

Outside the ship, the gorgodons were pounding against its hull with hungry rage, prompting Padmé to ignite the engines quickly. No time for procedures or protocols.

"Get strapped in!" she warned Obi-Wan, who followed her orders quickly. "They're going to damage the ship if we don't get out of here!"

He could sense the gorgodons' disappointment in losing a meal, and Obi-Wan almost felt sorry for them. On this chunk of ice, there couldn't be much to feast upon, and all that stood between them and full bellies was a thin layer of metal.

Driven by pangs of hunger, the creatures were determined to get in, the hull screeching as the their claws scraped against it.

"Shields activated," Padmé announced just before the thrusters fired, lifting them off the ground.

In response, the creatures howled loudly, although Obi-Wan sensed no suffering. They were just extremely angry and frustrated.

Apparently, whatever these 'shields' were, had convinced the beasts to leave, and the ship lifted from the ground without further incident, propelling itself through the skies.

"We've sustained damage," Padmé announced with concern, gazing at a screen which revealed a blinking red light. "A breach in starboard engine room three. I'll have to seal it or we can't go to hyperspeed."

That was fine by him, but Padmé looked worried, so it must be important.

"Without hyperspeed, our trip home will take ten times a long," she explained.

Enough said. "What do you want me to do?" Obi-Wan asked.

"Sit here and watch the monitors," Padmé instructed him. "Yell down at me if any more red indicators come on. I'll be down in the engine room."

He could do that, or at least he thought he could.

Padmé entered a room with four transparent walls no bigger than a storage area directly in front of them, which began carrying her downward out of his sight.

Beneath the pilot's station, Padmé carefully maneuvered her way to the access hatch which would allow her to reach the engine room. The room wasn't exactly big enough to stand in, but a long, narrow space beneath the wings on either side of the ship.

She expected the gorgodons had pierced the hull here, and had paused long enough on the way to grab an electrotorch and hammer to heal the damage.

Indeed, her investigation discovered a tear in the hull approximately fifty centimeters long.

She first used the hammer to force down the jagged edges of the tear before lighting the torch to weld the hull together. Removing her goggles to observe her work, Padmé was satisfied with the repair, replaced the tools and re-entered the lift, which would take her back up to the pilot's station.

"Did that fix the problem?" she asked Obi-Wan, who sat transfixed in front of the monitors.

"The light went green, if that's what you mean," he replied rather flatly.

Padmé viewed the information herself, feeling quite confident they would get back to Naboo in one piece. However, she then noticed Obi-Wan's appearance. Once again, he was beginning to sweat, was licking his lips often, and gripping the seat hard enough to put indentions into the arms.

Now that the ship was in one piece, it was time for her to take care of Obi-Wan.

"Let me have a seat," she told him, as she began removing the fur cloak and wraps from her body, leaving her in the tight, white thermal unisuit she wore beneath.

Obi-Wan had already removed his own winter gear and was once again dressed in the burgundies and browns of the Naboo guard; which included loose trousers tucked into dark brown boots and a matching brown leather vest which hung low over the long-sleeve dark red tunic.

Padmé had been told once that the uniform was quite comfortable, though Obi-Wan looked anything but.

He had tried to rise at her request, but she quickly stopped him. "I have an idea, just stay put," she told him, stepping around in front of the pivoting chair, to situate herself between his legs - essentially sitting on his lap.

"What are you doing?"

Other than enjoying herself immensely? "You're going to help me fly out of here," Padmé informed him. She'd been trying to think of some way to distract him during takeoff and had come up with two different ideas; both of which she prided herself of being rather creative.

Lifting Obi-Wan's hands to the controls, Padmé chose not to engage the autoflight option, deciding to manually steer the ship up through the atmosphere of Ilum. She placed Obi-Wan's grip upon the steering column, and then placed her own on top of his.

"Watch the pitch," she told him, taking a moment to point at the screen which revealed the flight statistics. "We want to stay between five and fifteen degrees."

Padmé adjusted their angle and increased speed, leaning back against Obi-Wan's chest, his head coming to rest upon her shoulder.

"Very nice," she quietly spoke, complementing his steering, although he was merely a puppet controlled by her hands. "It's all a matter of control, force, and thrust," she continued.

In her planning, she hadn't considered how the closeness of Obi-Wan's body or the warmth of his breath against her neck would be a distraction all of their own. She hoped she could remember how to do this!

And since when had flight dynamics sounded so sensual?

"Is the angle good?" Obi-Wan asked hotly against her ear.

Padmé swallowed hard, willing her heart to stop pounding. "Perfect," she replied.

She was playing a dangerous game, and she realized it, but discovered she was not afraid of the consequences of her actions. In fact, she welcomed them, hoping Obi-Wan would do the same.

"You can feel it, can't you?" she asked breathlessly. "The pressure is building the higher we go...forcing us back down to the ground, the increasing friction radiating so much heat…"

Padmé was unable to continue as she could feel the result of her words pressing firmly against the small of her back, and the moist heat of Obi-Wan's tongue slide along her neck.

In a few more minutes, the pressure would be released, and she wasn't thinking about the one against the ship.

Soon, they had cleared the atmosphere, with a black canvas sprinkled with stars spreading out before them.

Padmé quickly adjusted the navigation for the return trip to Naboo and slammed her hand against the hyperdrive button with far less subtlety than she had intended.

"That's it," she announced with a voice wobbly with tension. "We're on our way."

"Not quite yet," she heard Obi-Wan say just as he bent her over backward across his leg and plundered her mouth with more aggression than she had counted on.

His desperation merely added fuel to her own desire, and she didn't utter one complaint as his hands ripped through the bodice of her unisuit, bearing her lace-covered camisole beneath it.

"There's.." Padmé tried to explain between mouthfuls of Obi-Wan, "a bed in back." More kisses consumed her words and concentration. "Beyond the galley…"

She lost her train of thought as Obi-Wan's mouth moved hotly over the swell of her breasts.

"Just behind the…the..uhm…oh my." A gasp replaced the end of her sentence as Obi-Wan's tongue swirled and stole her voice entirely.

"Conference room!" she finally blurted out.

Obi-Wan answered with a grunt, and lifted her easily from the seat, her legs straddling his waist, evidence of his desire pressed against a most convenient location.

He carried her through the places she had tried to describe, and used the Force to open the bedroom door, she suspected, since his hands were quite full of her bottom. Without a word, he deposited her upon the bed, all the while not losing an ounce of focus.

Her plan had worked. He wasn't getting sick from the effects of hyperspace travel. He was fine.

In fact, Padmé thought as they finally, lovingly came together…he was absolutely wonderful.


	43. Chapter 43

**Chapter Forty-Three**

"How do you think Panaka's doing?"

As the Naboo Cruiser sprinted through space at the speed of light, Obi-Wan had only the slightest care about his feet not being on the ground. He was far more concerned where his arms were at the moment: Arms which were filled with Padmé and had been for the past several hours.

The two of them had dozed a little and made love twice more during that time. About half an hour ago, they had risen to grab a bite to eat and clean up a bit, before resuming their previous positions in the Queen's bed located at the the rear of the ship.

"I hope he's avoided injury. Those modulation circuits can shock the hell out of you!"

Obi-Wan lifted his hand during his reply to view the slight burn he'd received on the tip of his left index finger a couple of days ago. It was little more than a fading red mark now, though Padmé felt it necessary to pull it to her mouth to soothe it with a healing kiss.

Obi-Wan watched the provocative way her lips encircled the digit, but it was the look in her eyes as she performed the act which began to stir his blood.

Was it always going to be like this? he wondered. Just one glance from her, and he was reduced to a lump of clay, waiting to be formed by her hand into whatever vessel she wished to create.

"You're going to wear me out," he teased, rolling over to press his naked body against her.

"What else is there to do?" she asked after a lengthy kiss, while Obi-Wan tested the textures of her ear with his tongue. "Don't you think this is much better than the alternative?"

"Alternative to what?" he mumbled, diving down to touch the marks he had put on her neck earlier.

"You know, silly. Of spending the entire trip either cradling the disposal or passed out on a bunk."

It took a moment for her words to register in Obi-Wan's passion-fogged brain, but when they did, they gave him pause as well as a sickening feeling in his stomach which had nothing to do with the flight.

"What do you mean?" he asked, pulling up and away from the confusion apparent on her face. "What is this? Some sort of charity? A bit of a distraction to keep me from making a mess on your precious ship?"

"What?" she blurted out, appearing to look surprised, but how could she be?

Padmé might have had good intentions when she'd decided to sleep with him, but if the only reason was to keep him from getting ill, if he had read something more into this than he should've, he needed to know before he allowed himself to get more attached than he already was!

"How can you say that?"

Obi-Wan sat back on the bed, completely out of her reach. "I may not be from here and I don't know everything about space travel and droids and things like that, but that doesn't mean I'm stupid."

"I never said you were."

"I'm sorry," he said quietly, bringing Padmé enormous relief, until he rose from her bed to get dressed and finished his thought. "I"m sorry I allowed this to happen. I should've been more careful and stayed in control. Lesson learned, Master" he added, pulling his pants up and reaching for his tunic lying on the floor. "It won't happen again."

Padmé stared at him, completely dumbfounded. Even though there was really nowhere for him to go, she couldn't let him walk away from her. Not like this.

"What happened to you?" she asked just as the tunic settled on his shoulders.

"Lots of things," he replied, "you're going to have to be more specific."

Sarcasm. She hadn't heard him use it before and it spoke volumes to Padmé. Obi-Wan was carrying a lot of anger inside and he obviously didn't trust her. Not only was it affecting him physically, but it would continue to come between them if she let this opportunity pass by.

"Whoever you slept with really screwed you up," she pointed out dryly.

Her comment kept him from leaving, but hadn't convinced him to stay. He paused at the doorway, his back still to her.

"Who was she?"

The autopilot altered course, forcing Obi-Wan to take a seat back down on the bed, where he sat quietly, allowing Padmé time to wrap the rumpled sheet around her and draw closer to him, though still an arm's length away.

"Tell me," she prompted him.

He studied his hands which he'd brought together in his lap, his head bowed, his gaze distant as he recalled an obviously painful memory.

"She was the Avi-Ami, the Princess of Upea," he began slowly. "Although I didn't know her as such when we first met. She pretended to be a barmaid and called herself Pad-Mé."

The similarities between the two names didn't escape Padmé's notice, although, Obi-Wan spoke the other with an accent not apparent with her own.

"She lied to me and seduced me, all because she wanted her lover to defeat me in battle. She thought her presence in the audience would distract me and cause me to lose. It didn't."

"But.." Padmé prompted after a long silence. "She hurt you. She hurt you...because you loved her."

"No," Obi-Wan adamantly denied, just then turning his focus from his hands to her face. "I thought I did, but I don't think that was love. Lust maybe. Infatuation? I'm not sure. It was something, but it wasn't love."

When he reached across the bed and took her hand, Padmé released a long, hushed sigh of relief.

"I don't think I understood what love truly was until I came here and met you."

Tears of happiness welled up in Padmé's eyes, and she acknowledged his declaration with a smile and squeeze of his hand. But, she had a confession to make of her own.

"You know, I didn't exactly trust you either," she teased half-heartedly. "Although I was expecting someone who would change my life, I didn't expect him to be so…"

"Charming? Good-looking?" Obi-Wan interrupted.

Padmé searched for perfect word, but there was only one which would describe her initial feeling, as well as outline her prior worry.

"Barbaric," she told him bluntly, erasing the crooked smile from his face. "The way you dealt with Nute Gunray was…understandable, but it's simply not how we handle situations on Naboo. Mercy is more valuable than justice. Only mercy brings hope while justice merely crushes it."

It was a strange place he had come to, so much more different than his previous life on Avi-Kao. However, as foreign as the concept of mercy was to Obi-Wan, especially when dealing with those who obviously deserved death, he felt the rightness of Padmé's words deep within himself, and he knew she was telling the truth.

She always had been. She would never lie to him or lead him astray.

She wasn't the Avi-Ami.

"I'm sorry," Obi-Wan apologized.

"No need. I watched you with the gorgodons, and you handled that situation well. I was so proud of you. And it was then I realized how much I was in love with you."

Obi-Wan had heard those words before, spoken by a deceitful tongue, passed over lying lips. However, Padmé's declaration resounded in his soul and was confirmed by the same power which had formed this strange but wonderful galaxy.

This was it. The moment he'd been waiting on with the one woman he'd been searching for. He couldn't let it slip away.

"There's something we need to do," he told her, a bold confidence now coursing through his veins.

"Other than create an army to destroy Evil?" she joked, grinning broadly only to sober completely when she saw the seriousness of Obi-Wan's countenance. "What? What is it?"

She had no idea; which is what made the timing all the more better.

"We need to get married." Obi-Wan announced, carefully watching her features, which changed only a fraction. "I'm asking you to marry me," he reiterated. "To become my wife?" he continued, concern now lifting a brow. "You do that here, don't you?"

"Of course," Padmé laughed softly. "I was just thinking about the specifics. There's no longer a priest on Naboo, but I believe Captain Panaka has the credentials. He'll be happy to perform the ceremony. I think."

"Then, that's a yes?"

"Yes." Padmé's smile increased substantially as she leaned forward to kiss Obi-Wan, her hand coming to softly rest against his face. "Definitely, a yes."


	44. Chapter 44

**Chapter Forty-Four**

Padmé stood on the steps of Theed Palace, not as she once had, in full regalia befitting a Queen of Naboo, but as a common citizen, a proud and strong survivor of the Occupation.

Dressed in the garb of a Nabooan guard, she had chosen to look like the others on the outside. What she was about to tell them affected them all and they needed to look upon her as a friend and not just a ruler. When she spoke, however, she did so with the authority of a Queen.

Or at least Obi-Wan thought. He also thought the remaining population agreed with him. The meager numbers, somewhere around three-hundred or so, were giving her their divided attention during her public address, their respect and dedication clearly displayed through their postures and expressions.

"I've always told you the truth," she began, "and I will not hide it from you now. Our great city, Theed, will never stand as it once did. The destruction was too overwhelming, its influence diminished. Our resources are still available, but with the decline in manpower, the income from the mines has been greatly reduced. What profit made has been poured into the restructure of vital businesses and buildings – such as the apothecary, the med center, the library, and your own homes.

However, even that is about to change. For Theed is to become a different kind of light in the galaxy. We are about to take on a challenge which has not been seen in nearly a millennium. Theed Palace is to become home to the Jedi Knight - guardians of peace and justice throughout the galaxy. We will provide housing and training for those judged to be gifted and suitable for the task. I now present to you the Jedi Temple of Naboo."

It took a moment for the news to sink in, but eventually, the small crowd began to murmur and nod. A few even praised the decision with applause, which slowly rippled across the gathering as it gained momentum. Obi-Wan released a sigh of relief. He wasn't sure how the people of Naboo were going to react, even though Padmé had told him she was sure they would accept her decision.

Padmé continued: "With the aid of our friend and my future husband - a man who came from so far away to help us in a great time of need, we will see Theed once again rise out of the ashes and make a bold statement to the galaxy. We will continue to live in peace. We will not seek revenge, but when face to face with evil, we will overcome it!"

A great cheer rose from the crowd at that point, which prompted Padmé to grasp his hand and lift it to the sky.

Once the noise had settled, Obi-Wan followed Padmé and her entourage back into the building – the Temple she had called it, where she began instructing Captain Panaka.

"Did everyone receive their commissions?"

"Yes, your Highness," the man replied as they continued to walk toward his residence. "While you were away, I took the liberty of gathering some more assistants. With just a bit of training on the machinery, most of them have done quite well."

"Quite well with what?" Padmé interrupted.

"The swords you ordered," Panaka explained, motioning them through the door of what used to be his home, and now had the appearance of a manufacturing plant, with workers apparently busy creating silver cylinders and other necessary components. "I believe you said 100?"

"He actually did it," Obi-Wan said to Padmé, filled with grateful surprise as he inspected one of the crafted hilts.

"We managed to make 120."

"In three days' time?" Padmé asked, smiling at a volunteer who couldn't have been older than eight or nine, and had been assigned the task of polishing.

"Don't get too excited," the Captain responded, walking down the line to the end of the table. "These are just the components. Mr. Jedi here is the one who has to put them all together. I tried a couple of times and the thing burnt the hell out of me."

Once Padmé explained Panaka's story to Obi-Wan, they exchanged knowing smiles.

"I can probably manage that," Obi-Wan told her, as he lifted the pack from his shoulder and lowered it to the floor with a thud. "We'll need to chip and grind these down to the exact specifications."

The Captain reached into the bag and withdrew one of the large crystal chunks. "Couldn't get anything larger?" he teased.

"Could have, but it wouldn't have fit into the bag," Padmé answered.

Already, Obi-Wan had begun to get to work, picking up several of the empty canisters and depositing them on another work table in the back of the room, where he would begin the tedious process of recreating the laser sword piece by piece.

"I'll leave you to it then," she announced to Panaka. "I have a wedding to prepare."

With the announcement, her handmaidens filed quickly out the door, but the Captain reached out to stop her from leaving, concern altering his expression.

"Are you sure about this?" he asked. "We don't know him all that well."

Padmé glanced over to where Obi-Wan was currently employing the help of a young boy. Even though the two couldn't possibly understand one another, Obi-Wan's antics soon had the child giggling.

"Ive never been more sure of anything in my life," she promised Panaka. "We're going to get married, and you're going to be the one to do the ceremony. Is that all right?"

Long ago, Captain Panaka had learned when it came to stubborn women, Padmé Amidala was definitely the queen of them. There was no point in arguing.

"If anyone is going to do it, then it should be me," he told her; the smile his words brought to her face making it obvious he'd made the right decision.

The ceremony was short and simple, the dress was something she had saved of her mother's, and the witnesses were few.

It took much longer for Obi-Wan to prepare himself, however, having decided to consult the Force before beginning, not to ask permission he had said, but to help him guide their future together.

Padmé hadn't joined him this time, nor was she worried about the length of time he was taking, although she'd been standing beneath the refurbished garden arbor with Captain Panaka for quite a while.

Her handmaidens, however, were not nearly as patient.

_"Maybe he backed out at the last second and is on his way back to wherever he came from," she overheard Yané say._

_Rabé snorted with disagreement. "He wouldn't do that! He's in love with her! It's so obvious!" _

_Padmé shushed them once, but they only stayed quiet for a short while before they started in again._

_"What's taking him so long?" she heard Rabé complain._

_"I just wish he had someone to stand up with him. It's kind of sad he's here all alone."_

Padmé hadn't thought about that before, because in her mind, Obi-Wan wasn't alone and if it was up to her, he never would be again. From this day forward, they had each other. However, she understood what Sabé meant. In a typical Naboo wedding ceremony, the groom always brought someone to witness the union; to stand by their side and show their love and support - usually a father, brother, or best friend.

However, when Obi-Wan exited the Temple and walked down the steps to join her beneath the flowering arch, it struck Padmé how non typical their lives were actually going to be.

"He's not alone," Padmé announced to them all.

"It looks like it to me," Rabé replied.

Apparently, they couldn't see what she saw, but it didn't matter. What mattered was the joyful expression on Obi-Wan's face as he stepped forward beneath the flowered arch below a sun-swept sky to take her hand.

An introduction to one of his companions was not necessary. The being named Yoda whom Padmé had met on Ilum had arrived and was looking quite pleased with the situation. Padmé exchanged a friendly bow with him. However, it was the other, much taller figure she hadn't had the opportunity to meet yet.

"Padmé," Obi-Wan began a quick introduction, smiling proudly, "this is Qui-Gon from Avi-Kao. He trained me as a Soturi."


	45. Chapter 45

**Chapter Forty-Five**

The dark blue water slapped against the side of the ferry which carried them across the sparkling lake. Beyond the gentle waves was a hillside of forever green, and beyond that, the clear, cloudless skies of Naboo. The yellow sun was warm upon Padmé's face, and the gentle breeze cool as it drifted over the water and lifted her hair.

The Lake Country was one of Padmé's favorite places on Naboo. Having suffered very little damage during the Neimoidian Occupation, she was ecstatic to discover it was as perfect as it always had been.

She had been visiting Varykino Resort with her family ever since she was a little girl, and had always enjoyed the visits. However, her enjoyment now was tenfold to that which she remembered as a child. Sharing this place with Obi-Wan brought her more joy than she could measure.

It was at Panaka's and the handmaidens' insistence she and Obi-Wan take a honeymoon. Initially, Padmé had argued that there was too much work to be done. In the end, she had agreed to stay on Naboo since going off planet would take far too long – a decision Obi-Wan was secretly thrilled about since it meant no space travel. They would spend three, maybe four days at most at her family's resort home in Varykino.

Padmé watched Obi-Wan with amusement as he allowed his hand to drift through the water, seemingly mesmerized by its texture and overall abundance. Occasionally a fish would swim up to nibble on his fingers, bringing a bright smile to his face – a sight which warmed Padmé's heart.

How could she possibly love someone so much so soon? Captain Panaka had voiced an opinion that they knew so little about Obi-Wan. How could Padmé explain to him, to anyone, that she had known Obi-Wan all her life? That she had seen him in her dreams for many years? She had expected him and he hadn't disappointed her. In fact, he had proven himself to be far beyond her expectations. Not only was he the hero and warrior she had counted on, but he was kind, compassionate, attentive, and remarkably handsome.

She was honored to have been chosen for him by this strange power which had brought them together; a power she still did not understand. In time, Obi-Wan had explained; she would in time.

But that was the future, and building an army of Jedi was in the future. Right now, Padmé wished to focus on the present; especially the way the sun brightened the copper highlights of his hair.

There was one other thing which was on her mind, and that was her plans for this evening. They would be arriving at the resort at mid afternoon, which would give her time to give Obi-Wan a tour of the house, as well as the nearby beach and grounds. After that, she would take some time for herself.

It had occurred to Padmé that ever since their first meeting, she had never appeared her best. She had been dressed as a handmaiden in a color which was not all that flattering, and in gown she'd been forced to wear for several days. After the confrontation with Gunray, she had switched to battlegear, which she had kept on for several more days. And then during their trip to Ilum, Padmé had donned a travel suit with many protective layers over it.

Obi-Wan had definitely not seen her at her best. But he would tonight. Padmé would make sure of it. In a way, it would be her wedding gift to him.

"This is incredible," he murmured aloud, taking in the scenery which reflected in the grays of his eyes. "You're probably used to this," he pointed out, turning his focus to Padmé.

"I hope not. I don't ever want to take any of this for granted," she told him, pleased that he understood her full meaning as he took her hand and leaned over to light a feathery kiss upon her lips.

He held her gaze for a moment until something caught his eye on the horizon. "Is that it?"

Without having to look, Padmé could answer his question. "That's Varykino."

She then addressed the driver who's concentration had solely been on the long oar within his hand which he'd used to carry them gently over the waters. "We'll stop at the first dock and walk from there, Gadi."

When the boat pulled up to the landing, the elderly man stepped out onto the damp stone and offered to help Padmé from the boat.

Obi-Wan hopped onto land without assistance, then turned around to face the driver.

"Thanks," he pronounced quite well in Basic.

"My pleasure, and congratulations to the both of you."

"Thank you," Padmé replied, pausing to wait upon Obi-Wan who had not only smiled at their escort, but took the time to shake his hand as well.

"Obi-Wan," he said clearly.

"Gadi," the ferryman replied, a smile crinkling his sunkissed face.

"Nice to meet you." Obi-Wan told the man before turning to skip up the steps to take Padmé's hand.

"Your Basic is getting better," she acknowledged as they began their carefree stroll along the stone street bordered by a wall separating them from the steep drop-off to the lake below, and the incline of a hill which was littered with steps leading to a variety of smaller homes, all built in the similar Nabooan architectural style found in Theed.

They had brought nothing with them, as the resort was always well stocked, and so their arms were free to wrap around one another as they walked, their booted feet making soft plodding noises against the wet stone beneath their feet. Overhead, were clusters of white acathia blossoms which hung from the trees lining the street, and th air was filled with their sweet fragrance.

"I've been trying," Obi-Wan acknowledged her compliment, slowing their steps even further as he took a moment to replace a strand of hair which had released itself from her braids, and then pause completely to gather her close and kiss her.

His lips were soft and his skin smelled like the sun. When he opened his eyes, they glittered like the body of water spread behind him, and Padmé couldn't agree more with the thoughts he shared.

"This is all like some fantastic dream I don't ever want to wake up from! I never thought I could find happiness like this. Or that I even deserved it."

"Me either." Padmé tried to explain, her voice a mere whisper, and losing it entirely when Obi-Wan brought her hand up to his mouth, and pressed his lips to her knuckles.

"Are we getting close? I have the strongest urge to lie down with you right now."

Padmé chuckled. Her sentiments exactly. "We'll turn left at the end of this street and it's just a little further down," she explained, prompting Obi-Wan to walk again.

They continued down the path, following her directions, which led to a long flight of steps that brought them to a house with many windows facing the water.

Inside, it was quiet and dark. They were alone since most of the house employees, having lived in the city, had taken refuge on Alderaan. Without guests, there was no income, and without a thriving city population, there would be no guests.

The thought momentarily saddened Padmé, but she quickly shook off any melancholy. What was done was done, and her future with Obi-Wan was what mattered most.

"Are you hungry?" she asked as he once again took her in his arms and began toying with her earlobe – a welcome fascination he seemed to have.

"Incredibly," he informed her as his fingers began to undo the clasps of the leather vest she wore.

"For food, Obi-Wan," she informed him, playfully slapping away his hands.

"Come to think of it, I am a little."

She had a plan and was going to stick with it, no matter how much she would rather give in to Obi-Wan's obvious suggestion.

"I'll get something started in the kitchen, and if you want, you can go take a dip in the lake." Padmé pointed out the rear transparisteel doors, which offered a fantastic view of the water. "Let me freshen up a bit, and when you're done, I'll meet you back in here and we can eat. Okay?"

His answer came in the form of a kiss which was so ravaging, it nearly buckled her knees and put Padmé in the position they would both rather be in.

"If you insist," he told her with a twinkle in his eye.


	46. Chapter 46

**Chapter Forty-Six**

She didn't usually do this all on her own, and without the handmaiden's help, Padmé discovered it took much longer than she had expected to make herself presentable to her new husband. Finally, after several dress changes and hair arrangements, she stood before the full-length mirror, pleased with her reflection.

The gown she had chosen was a soft blue and hung a little more loosely than she remembered. She needed to be careful to take the time to eat properly, Padmé scolded herself before twisting to check the back of the dress – or what little there was of one. Three ropes of jewels criss-crossed her spine, attaching the thin straps on her shoulders and kept the shimmering material from sliding off her backside. She wondered for a moment if, in fact, the gown was too revealing, but then figured it wouldn't be on her for very long anyway, and so she opted to wear it.

The front bodice draped low, and in the center was a matching jewel cluster, from which flowed several drapes of material that swept down to the floor.

She had chosen to allow her hair to hang loose in long ringlets which cascaded down her back and over her breasts, but were pulled back from her face with a complimentary jewel-encrusted band.

A few minor touch-ups of her make-up, and Padmé was as ready as she thought she could be, only to make a grand entrance to discover apparently Obi-Wan was not ready at all.

With the aid of the patio lights that had come on with the setting of the sun, she could see him down at the shoreline, climbing atop a boulder, only to dive back into the water; a process he repeated several times. He appeared to be having the time of his life, and she would not deny him a pleasure he'd probably never had before today.

Instead, Padmé busied herself in the kitchen, making some colorful additions to their meal by adding another vegetable and garnishing the plate with herbs.

By the time she'd completely set the table, she could hear Obi-Wan plodding up the steps toward the house, calling out her name excitedly.

A quick glance down at her gown revealed that at some point, she had dripped some of the thick red sauce covering their entrée onto her dress. Mortified, Padmé grabbed a napkin from the table to try and clean it, and that's when Obi-Wan walked in.

"Padmé, you have to come try this!" he nearly shouted.

She couldn't help but be disappointed, feeling that all of her effort had been in vain. Should she apologize for her appearance or ignore it and hope he didn't notice?

She decided on asking for forgiveness, especially after seeing the look on Obi-Wan's face.

He was standing there, completely soaked from head to toe, dripping onto the marble floors, his mouth agape, his eyes wide with shock.

"Surprise?" Padmé announced sheepishly, her face reddening in embarrassment when she noticed that not only had the sauce gotten on her dress, but the table covering as well. "Sorry about the…"

Something in Obi-Wan's eyes told her to stop talking; the sway of his hips as he approached telling her he could care less about the stain.

"As I beheld her, my soul did perish, swept away by a fatal craze," he said as he visually took in her form.

Padmé smiled nervously. She felt as if she were being devoured by his eyes alone, but that was the point, was it not?

"That was beautiful. Did you just make it up?"

"No. Ancient Avi-Kaon poetry, I'm afraid. I never quite understood it until now," he said, coming to a stop at least an arm's length away. "You're so damn beautiful, it frightens me."

Padmé's anxiety grew. Fear wasn't quite the response she had hoped for. "Why would you be afraid?"

"Because of everything I've done! You don't know the half of it. I've killed, Padmé. Over and over."

"It was your job. You had no choice," Padmé argued.

"Didn't I?"

Wiles and plans cast aside, Padmé took Obi-Wan's face in her hands and looked deeply into his stricken gaze. "You told me yourself, the rules of the games don't allow mercy. Even if you had tried, you wouldn't be here with me today. You wouldn't have come to Naboo and saved all our lives. You're a hero and you deserve everything, Obi-Wan. If you don't believe me, then I will just have to prove it to you, every single day, starting right now:

You have the heart of a warrior," she began, "brave but compassionate." She leaned forward to place a kiss on the damp skin of his pectoral muscles. "Arms strengthened by battle, but caring enough to cradle a child." Her lips moved to well-developed biceps. "The hands of a skilled swordsman, rough and callused by labor – the same hands which touch me with such tenderness and passion it takes my breath away…" Lips suckling the palm of his hand produced a rumble deep within Obi-Wan's chest.

Padmé lowered his arm slowly, gazing at him with a passion which could only be born of the most profound love, her hands moving to splay across his back as she drew him closer.

"A strong back." Her touch drifted lower. "Which I have no doubt has often supported the load of many."

Padmé boldly caressed buttocks and the powerful gluteal muscles beneath. "Your entire being is designed for battle, and yet you strive not for yourself, but everyone around you, to give all you can to help those you don't even know."

When Padmé's touch increased its pressure, pulling him forward against her, the rumble turned into a groan and she knew she had pushed him beyond his point of control.

"Enough!" he growled, grabbing Padmé fully about the waist, lifting her and depositing her upon the table; dishes, cutlery, and glasses crashing to the floor. The assault on her lips and tongue had taken away all of Padmé's worldly concerns, even that of the empty state of her stomach.

At the moment, her arms and mind were full of Obi-Wan, who was currently struggling with her gown in one hand while caressing her face with the other, his focus more on her lips than her dress.

After some difficulty, however, he finally managed to remove the barriers between them, once more providing the sweetest union. Padmé clung to Obi-Wan tightly as he drove her body and mind away from Varykino, away from Naboo, to a far distant place in the heavens where there was no guilt, no fear, and definitely no red sauce dripping onto the expensive rug on the floor.

When the world re-appeared, only after they had both been sated, Padmé giggled. She couldn't help herself. They had made a rather large mess of the dining area and of themselves.

"Sorry about the food. It looks like you went to a lot of work," Obi-Wan noted, still holding Padmé in his lap, her gown gathered about her waist.

"It wasn't that much trouble," she promised him as he lightly pecked the end of her nose.

"I'll help you clean up, even though this _was_ all your fault."

"My fault?" Padmé exclaimed in mock irritation. "Who was the one who tossed me on the table?"

"It was that dress!" Obi-Wan complained in jest. "You can't wear that around anyone else but me. If you do, I'll just end up making a fool of myself."

"I'll save it for special occasions; if I can get the stains out of it, that is," she pouted.

"Do you want to clean up now?" Obi-Wan asked her.

Padmé thought about his suggestion. Without a house droid or even a hired servant, they could spend their entire evening picking up this mess, and frankly, she had better ideas on how to spend the first night of their honeymoon.

"Leave it. I'd rather go back outside and swim with you."

"Naked?" Obi-Wan asked with a mischievous grin.

"Of course. It's called skinny dipping, by the way," she informed him playfully.

Obi-Wan lifted Padmé up to her feet, a broad smile spreading across his face. "I'm liking this place more every day."


	47. Chapter 47

**Chapter Forty-Seven**

"Did you have a good time?"

Obi-Wan and Padmé walked into the Temple after their three-day honeymoon to be confronted by five curious young women. It wasn't a surprise that Rabé was the first one to speak her mind, her grin not coming even close to disguising her mischievous question.

"It was pleasant," Padmé answered calmly though quite unsatisfactorily for the handmaiden.

She couldn't pass off being so nonchalant with Sabé, however; the young woman knew her too well. She would expect details - and soon.

"I'm going to go check on Panaka's progress," Obi-Wan announced which was followed by a quick kiss to her cheek. Padmé watched him walk down the hall, a comforting warmth filling her heart.

Their time together in Varykino had not only sealed their union, but had somehow united their souls. They were indeed one as Captain Panaka had read during the wedding ceremony; of the same thoughts, the same dreams, the same desires. Those places inside Padmé which had once been disconnected were now complete. Even the loss of her parents was not so difficult to bear any longer. She still missed them, but on some respect Obi-Wan's love, as well as his presence in her life gave Padmé a sense of fulfillment she hadn't even realized she'd lacked.

"Well?" Sabé said as she took Padmé's arm and escorted them to her suite.

Padmé smiled at her friend. "We had a good time."

"A good time," Sabé repeated with a fair amount of disbelief and suspicion.

"All right, it was wonderful. Thank you for making me go."

The young woman squeezed Padmé's arm tightly. "You're welcome. I'm happy for you both. Obi-Wan seems…quite deserving of your affections."

Sabés choice of words was quite interesting. "Exactly," Padmé agreed. "I love him so much."

"I know. I can tell. We all can tell," Sabé stopped walking to face her. "At first, we are a little worried. He literally came out of nowhere, but now, even Captain Panaka seems happy about it."

"Good," Padmé replied, although it didn't matter what anyone thought. Nothing and no one would come between them. "Speaking of the Captain – how is the sword manufacturing coming?"

"Three hundred hilts completed, along with their components although they aren't put together."

"That's great news," Padmé told her.

"Once they are working, what then?"

They hadn't exactly discussed it yet, more than likely because Obi-Wan was probably dreading it, but Padmé realized they would have to leave soon to begin their search of the galaxy for those who were sensitive to the powers of the Force, as Yoda had called it. She wasn't sure where to start, but then the thought came to her – actually, more like it was revealed to her, that perhaps she should consult the map room.

"Is the holoprojector in the map room functioning?" she asked her handmaiden.

"I'm not sure. I don't think anyone's checked. Once the system was brought back online, re-establishing communications was priority."

"Have someone go see," Padmé insisted. "After I change, I'll meet you in there."

* * *

Countless stars and planets swirled about Padmé's head in a vortex of holographic display. Sabé sat on the far side of the oval room which was generally used for conferences, behind a set of controls, her fingers adjusting the focus and speed. Padmé stood in the center of the map, gazing upward as the galaxy passed her by.

She wasn't sure what she was looking for, or expected to find, but something told her the answer lie here – amidst the wide expanse of star systems.

Not that long ago, she had knelt with Obi-Wan as he consulted the Force, and together they had shared a vision of the future. A vision, however, is not what Padmé needed at the moment. What she needed was guidance, and she silently asked for it, closing her eyes to focus upon the need.

Gradually, one glimmering point began to shine brighter than all the rest, so brightly in her mind in fact, there could be no denying it.

Padmé opened her eyes and lifted her gaze upward to the location revealed to her. "Freeze and augment. Orbital position two, grid R17."

"Sabé did as she was told. "That's Ryloth, Mi'Lady,"

Ryloth. Padmé knew little about the planet. She'd only visited there once when she was a girl. Having been a member of the Youth Refugee Relief Program, her party had made a landing there once. Its terrain varied from desert plains to snow-covered mountains, its rotation limited to place one side of the planet always in darkness. It was the natural home of the Twi'Lek, and that was the limit of her knowledge.

She remembered not feeling very comfortable or at ease there, but if Ryloth was where the Force wanted them to go, then that's where they would go. Now, all she needed to do was tell Obi-Wan.

Padmé discovered Obi-Wan hard at work with the others in Panaka's quarters. The crystals had already been divided into chunks, polished, and lined up in a collection according to size, although their appearance was exactly the same. They were all a translucent milky color, she noticed, and Padmé how the laser swords they had seen in their vision gave off such a variety of color.

The answer to her question lie in the long row of crystals, which Padmé's eyes followed down to the end of the table, the very last one casting a violet hue when struck by the sunlight coming in from the nearby windows.

"Look at this one," she pointed out to Obi-Wan, lifting the object in her hand and staring at its many shades of purple.

Obi-Wan gave a quick glance up before returning to his task. "It looks the same as the others," he said with slight disinterest.

"No it doesn't," Padmé argued, comparing the one she had in her hand to the long line of those on the table. "This one's purple."

Obi-Wan took a moment to study the situation, and from his point of view, they all appeared the same. But he remembered Yoda telling him about the crystals 'speaking' to their users; how each one was designed for a specific Jedi. Perhaps this one was speaking to Padmé.

"Let me see that," Obi-Wan held out his hand, and immediately the violet color faded away and Padmé's crystal looked like all the others. He handed it back to her with a smile. "Looks like you've been chosen," he said.

Padmé looked at him with some confusion. "Chosen? For what?"

"To bear a sword after all, and it looks like your blade will be violet," Obi-Wan informed her before returning to work on assembling another hilt.

"Just like in my dream," Padmé mentioned quietly, gazing at the object in her hand.

"You saw this in a dream?" Obi-Wan asked, his focus remaining on his job.

"Kind of. Not a sword exactly, but more like lights. Two distinct colors of lights coming together; one blue, one rose-colored, creating a lovely shade of lilac in between. That's what they are, you know," Padmé noted, holding the crystal tightly in her hand. "You should call them lightswords."

Obi-Wan frowned with distaste, obviously not impressed with her imagination. "How about light sabers?" he declared, taking the crystals from Padmé's hand and placing them in one of the hilts he had completed, then joining the top half and the bottom halves together.

"Lightsabers," Padmé repeated. She didn't see what was wrong with calling them lightswords, but no matter. "That's perfect."

"And here's yours," Obi-Wan announced, handing her the sword he'd just completed.

Padmé weighed the weapon in her hand, finding it to be much lighter than she'd expected, even more than Obi-Wan's.

"If I understand everything as well as I think I do," Obi-Wan told her, "this lightsaber can only be activated by you."

"Really," Padmé replied, curiosity motivating her to thumb the switch on the bottom of the hilt, which activated the weapon, shooting a beam of deadly purple light forth from its cylinder.

Obi-Wan had come around to her back and brought his arms around her, placing his hand on top of hers to guide the laser fluidly through the air. The energy from the purple beam sent a tingle up her arm, or that could've been from Obi-Wan's touch. She couldn't be sure.

"I've adjusted the blade length for someone your size," he explained, "and I think this will do nicely. Treat it as you would any sword, only one that is ten times as sharp. One miscalculation, and you'll lose a limb."

"Or half your clothing," Padmé reminded Obi-Wan, who playfully nipped her earlobe with his teeth in response to her jest.

"Exactly," he agreed as the two of them swung the blade in a mesmerizing pattern to and fro.

"I want to learn," Padmé announced, filled with the sudden longing to master the use of this sword. Even though Yoda had told her she wouldn't be a warrior, that didn't keep her from learning to use the weapon of one, did it? And besides, the crystal chose her, and things like that didn't happen for no reason.

She smiled when Obi-Wan replied. The same goals, the same mind. That's why they were so good together.

"I'll teach you."


	48. Chapter 48

**Chapter Forty-Eight**

Two spears of light, one violet, one blue, performed a slow and methodical dance just beyond the confines of the Jedi Temple, out amongst the pebbled walks and trimmed hedges which were once the palace garden.

Obi-Wan grinned as Padmé swung her blade rather aggressively at him. She was taking this much more serious than he had thought she would, but decided that was good thing. That only meant she would be prepared for anything if he wasn't around to protect her for some reason.

"Don't drop your elbow so much," he advised her on the next sweep. "That's it. Use your peripheral vision to watch my gut. If an opponent feigns, they will do so with their head or shoulders, but their middle will remain stationary."

"Got it," Padmé answered as Obi-Wan caught her sword and twisted it round his several times, finally bringing a smile to her face.

He then backed out a step. "That's more like it. I love to see your smile. You would've made a decent Soturi. You're very focused."

Padmé switched off her lightsaber. "I want to learn."

Obi-Wan turned his off as well. "And I'll teach you, but it takes time. I trained with Qui-Gon for over a season before I was ready for my first bout. You're doing fine. Just don't rush it. This isn't an ordinary blade, and I don't want you to get hurt."

"So, I shouldn't take this with me to Ryloth, then?"

"What's in Ryloth?" Obi-Wan asked as they headed back toward the Temple.

"Twi'Leks," Padmé answered playfully, smiling when she took Obi-Wan's hand. "They're traditionally a non violent humanoid race with long tentacles growing down from their heads. Their skin color is every imaginable shade, and the females are known to be quite athletic and rather voluptuous. The Force has shown me Ryloth is where we need to go first."

Padmé watched Obi-Wan's reaction carefully. She didn't know why she had said that about the Twi'Lek females. Was she testing him or simply teasing him?

If it was a test, since when had she become so protective and potentially jealous?

Following her unexpected description, one of his brows shot upward with interest. "I'm looking forward to seeing them…er..meeting them," he corrected himself quickly. "The Twi-Leks. All of them, not just the females."

"Uh huh," Padmé eyed him carefully, watching for any sign of wistful thinking, and when it came, Obi-Wan laughed and maneuvered her back against the Temple entrance wall, kissing her soundly.

"You know I have no interest in anyone other than you, especially someone with strangely colored skin and tentacles," he teased, his forehead falling against hers.

Padmé brought her arms around Obi-Wan to draw him close, their noses grazing. "I'm sorry, I don't know why I baited you like that. I guess I was just curious to see what you'd do. I wasn't sure."

"You weren't sure," Obi-Wan repeated. "Padmé you know me, and you know I wouldn't do anything to hurt you."

"I know, I'm sorry. Forgive me?" she pleaded, offering her lips, which Obi-Wan accepted readily.

"Of course," he replied. "Just promise you'll do the same for me. If there ever comes a time when you lose interest, or fall in love with another…"

Padmé tiptoed up, taking Obi-Wan's kiss and stopping him from uttering such an absurd thought.

"Never," she told him, wrapping her arms about his neck. "There will never be anyone but you."

For this trip, Padmé chose to pack a bag. She wasn't sure how long they were going to be on Ryloth, or what they would find once they had arrived. They may have to trek through the jungles or the desert to find what they were looking for, or they might have to stay in the city. They may even end up back in the mountains in frigid temperatures. The uncertainty led her to pack far more than she probably needed, taking more time than she had counted on.

By the time she had finished, Obi-Wan had already left their suite and gone to check on the ship.

While the handmaidens gathered their things, Padmé went to go look for him. However, the hangar was empty. Even the deck officer was nowhere to be seen. She was about to give up looking and return back inside, when she happened to hear voices, which sounded as if it were coming from inside the hull of the ship.

Passing through the cruiser's piloting station, she took the lift down to the maintenance deck, where she found Officer Trell and Obi-Wan lying on the floor, peering through the hyperdrive access hatch.

"Those are the power feeds," Trell was explaining to Obi-Wan, his finger pointing to the red metal tubing at the top of the core. "They lead from the post-reactor and the reaction chamber to power the hyperdrive engine."

"And what about those switches right there? What do they do?" Obi-Wan asked.

"That's the navicomputer control links, which allow the pilot to set the navigation from the main station, to fire the reactor which starts the turbines, runs power through the feeds, and directly into the core."

"I see," Obi-Wan stated, amazing Padmé with the idea that he really did understand what Trell had just explained.

"What are you two doing?" she declared quite loudly, causing Trell to bump his head on the opening of the hatch.

"Ow!" he hissed, rubbing the top of his scalp.

"Sorry," Padmé apologized, though she was giggling at the same time. "I didn't mean to frighten you."

"Officer Trell was explaining how the hyperdrive works," Obi-Wan stated simply, rising from the floor before assisting the other man up.

"Planning on a career in aeronautic engineering?" Padmé asked.

"Possibly," Obi-Wan teased. "I just figured if I understood things a little better, perhaps I would be so bothered by it."

"Good idea," Padmé agreed, stepping back toward the lift, followed by the two men.

"Since," Obi-Wan continued, "your particular remedy for my condition might not be entirely convenient at certain times."

Padmé shot Obi-Wan a glare of caution, punctuated by the blushing of her cheeks.

"Thank you, Trell," she said to the young officer, choosing to avoid the subject altogether, especially in front of the Deck Officer. "If you don't mind, we shall be taking off as soon as possible."

"Yes, your Highness," Officer Trell replied dutifully, quickly entering the lift to do her bidding and prepare for their flight.

Padmé took a moment to gaze at Obi-Wan. She wasn't about to be outdone by his wit. "So, you don't want to be inconvenienced, hm?" she asked, poking his side with a finger, which was immediately captured in his hand.

"I didn't say that," Obi-Wan smiled back at her, his hold of her digit transforming into something more akin to a caress, which was snaking its way up her arm. "In fact, now that you mention it, I'm already beginning to feel a bit ill. Maybe you can help me out with that."

"But we haven't even left the space port yet," Padmé pointed out as Obi-Wan drew her into his arms.

"Let's call it part of the pre-flight check, then," he announced, just before his lips found her neck.

Pre-flight check? When had he learned about that?

"Let's at least make it off planet first," Padmé suggested, while she still had the ability to make a decision.

"If you insist," he told her, drawing her into the lift, which took them both up to the piloting station.

Each sat in their positions, Padmé in the piloting seat with Obi-Wan at the navigating station as the cruiser escaped the atmosphere of Naboo and hurdled into the blackness of space.

"Ryloth," Obi-Wan announced from his location. "Coordinates entered and set."

Padmé entered her own variants into the navicomputer before punching the hyperdrive activation switch. The power of the engine thrust them both back in their seats as they sped toward the planet at the speed of light.

Once assured all systems were green, Padmé turned her head to check on Obi-Wan, who appeared quite…normal.

"How are you feeling?"

"Fine, thank you. And you?" he said so nonchalantly it confused her, until one glance sideways revealed his true intention, and he began to unbuckle himself from his seat.

Padmé did the same, preparing to run. If he wanted to play, she was more than willing.

They laughed as he chased Padmé through the ship, Obi-Wan leaping over the conference table to catch her before she had made it to the Queen's chamber door.

"Allow me, My Lady," he said, picking her up and carrying her inside.

* * *

Author's Note: Okay...things seem to be moving at a slug's pace, but there's a reason for that. There are a few things I have to establish before moving on. Trust me. ;)


	49. Chapter 49

**Author's Note:** There is so much history on Aayla Secura, it's a tad overwhelming! I've, therefore, decided to create my own. ;)

* * *

**Chapter Forty-Nine**

"Decrease speed by twenty percent and watch your pitch," Padmé coached Obi-Wan as he managed the controls. Even though the navicomputer was designed to land the ship automatically, Obi-Wan had insisted on doing it himself. He was quite stubborn when it came to things like that, Padmé had discovered.

"That's it," she praised him, "you're doing very well."

Actually, the ship had set down rather roughly, but the terrain of Ryloth wasn't the smoothest. She would blame his landing on that and leave it alone.

"You've been practicing," Padmé mentioned as they prepared their gear.

"I have been spending some time with Officer Trell recently. Just curious. If this is my life, then I should know more about it, and learn how to control it," Obi-Wan explained.

"Agreed," Padmé answered, gazing at him proudly. "You have everything you need?"

"Lightsaber, compass, electrobinoculars, water flask. I think so," Obi-Wan answered, checking the wide leather utility belt around his middle. "We need to talk about this uniform though. It's a bit stifling."

Padmé had been speaking with her handmaidens on that very subject before she and Obi-Wan had left. Yané, being the one most interested in fashion, promised she would look into it. They had all agreed the uniform for the Jedi must be comfortable, lightweight, and breathe well. But most of all, it needed to be affordable.

"Sorry about that. It seems we've landed during one of Ryloth's infamous heat storms." Already, the temperature inside the ship had increased substantially and she was beginning to perspire. "Perhaps it will be cooler once we get outside," she suggested, only to discover she was wrong.

"Reminds me of Avi-Kao," Obi-Wan announced, his eyes squinting against the bright sun as he gazed toward the domed structures which rose up on the distant horizon.

"Do you miss your home?" Padmé asked him.

Obi-Wan turned his gaze toward her, and his eyes crinkled with humor. "Are you crazy? It was nothing but sand, slaves, and sweltering heat. Much like this place. Except maybe for the slaves."

"No," Padmé corrected him. "You're correct in that assumption. I'm afraid we may be running into a few Hutts."

"What's a Hutt?"

"The scum of the galaxy," Padmé answered, stepping back beneath the shade offered by the cruiser.

"Ah. Slave runners. Avi-Kao has those too."

"Well?" Padmé prompted Obi-Wan after a moment of silence, his eyes cast once more at the surface, seemingly fixed on the town in the distance. She had explained to him how the Force had guided her in the map room on Naboo, but once they had left orbit, the powerful urging had ceased. Apparently, any decision from this point forward would have to be made by Obi-Wan.

"Someone in that place," he pointed to the village, "is calling out to me. Do you hear it?"

Padmé listened with not only her ears, but her heart. However, she heard nothing. "No."

"This way," he told her, and together they made the trek across the reddish-brown sand and plentiful rock of Ryloth, heading toward a village by the name of Riska.

There were a variety of sentient beings in the town, each one of them staring at the newcomers, who must look strange to their eyes; appearing as soldiers prepared for war, with Padmé carrying two blasters, one strapped to each thigh, a white shawl wrapped around her head to protect her from the stinging hot wind. Obi-Wan, as well, had lifted the navy blue cowl of the Nabooan tunic over his head, a lightsaber dangling from his belt.

She followed him as he walked purposefully down the middle of a crowded market filled with native foods and samples of ryll.

Padmé didn't pause and followed Obi-Wan closely without question until they approached a low, flat building down one of the side streets. Although she couldn't transcribe the sign by the door, she could tell what type of establishment it was simply by the scantily-dressed Twi-Lek females who stood outside it - who obviously were selling something other than spice.

"Obi-Wan," she whispered, touching his arm. "This is a Hutt gambling den. Be careful."

Once inside, it took a moment to adjust their senses to the dim lighting as well as the intoxicating fumes of a variety of burning substances, but eventually, Obi-Wan discovered an empty sabacc table in the corner farthest from the bar.

He and Padmé sat there, each ordering a Blue Dwarf from the thin male humanoid who waited on them.

Obi-Wan scanned the establishment, seemingly unaffected by the diversity of sentient species he was witnessing. His focus was entirely on the opposite end of the room, where sat the owner of the den; a rather large Hutt Padmé hadn't had the pleasure of meeting yet.

"That's her," Obi-Wan stated finally, indicating one of several female Twi-Leks who were lounging about the Hutt's massive tail. "The one with the blue skin."

Padmé gazed at Obi-Wan's target, assuming she was a pleasure worker. Most Twi-Lek female who looked like she did ended up being exactly that, while others were dancers or other types of entertainers. Voluptuous was a word she was now regretting having used to describe them to Obi-Wan, although that's exactly what this one was.

"Ten credits for ten minutes." A shrill voice interrupted their focus, and Obi-Wan glanced up to see a pinched face covered with gravily green skin, and two huge bulging black eyes.

"We're not interested," Padmé told the thin Rodian.

"Pay to play or leave," he replied in clipped Basic, his hand gripping an impressive modified blaster strapped to his leg. "Ogling is not allowed."

Not wanting to draw attention to Obi-Wan, Padmé made a judgment call and fished a few credits out of her belt. "Ten minutes, two humans, twenty credits," she bargained, slapping his meaty palm with the money.

"Acceptable. Follow me."

Padmé motioned for Obi-Wan to stand, and they followed the limping Rodian to a back room which smelled of spice and sex. "Do not damage the merchandise," he squealed before exiting the torn, dirty flap which comprised a door.

Padmé didn't have time to explain their situation to Obi-Wan before the Twi-Lek waltzed in, her face expressionless, her trim body wrapped with tight brown leather. Her tentacles were also wrapped with straps and in the center of her exposed belly was a green jewel. She was extremely attractive, and she apparently was taken with Obi-Wan. She hadn't taken her eyes off him since coming through the door.

"My name is Padmé and this is.." Padmé began, only to be rudely silenced by an uplifting of the Twi-Lek's hand.

The blue-skinned pleasure worker then approached Obi-Wan slowly, allowing fingers to drift down his face slowly. Padmé watched uncomfortably, although Obi-Wan stood rigidly still, allowing the touch, though without any sign of pleasure.

However, when the Twi-Lek stepped forward and kissed Obi-Wan on the mouth, did she object.

"Hold on a second!" Padmé shouted, becoming furious when the worker continued to ignore her.

"Wait," Obi-Wan cautioned Padmé, as the Twi-Lek took a step backward and immediately knelt to the ground.

"_Any move toward his crotch, and you're dead,"_ Padmé thought, only to be surprised when the Twi-Lek relaxed back onto her haunches in a more submissive position and uttered one word.

"Master."

Confusion replaced anger as Padmé continued to watch the interplay between the two, feeling as if something important was happening that only they could sense. She felt quite left out.

"Padmé," Obi-Wan announced suddenly, "this is Aayla Secura."

It was only at that moment, the young Twi-Lek looked to Padmé. "My apologies for my introduction, but I had to know for sure. It is my way."

She must've meant the kiss, Padmé guessed, doing her best to swallow down the lump of jealousy which stung her throat. "Don't worry about it. We've come a long way, but you knew that, didn't you?" Padmé questioned her.

"I suspected. You don't exactly fit in here." the attractive female grinned, her hazel eyes shining.

"We have a request to make of you," Padmé began, only to be stopped short by Obi-Wan's hand intimately placed on the small of her back. One smile told Padmé her previous guess had been correct. Something had happened.

"Come with us," he told Aayla. "I will train you to be a Jedi and how to properly use the power you're already familiar with."

Padmé's sight traveled back and forth between them, waiting for the sign Obi-Wan needed an interpretation, but it didn't come and Aayla's reply told her one wasn't needed.

"Yes. I will come, Master."

"How?" Padmé asked bluntly. "You're obviously under the ownership of a Hutt. How are you going to get away from him and his henchmen?"

"Leave that up to me," the Twi-Lek stated simply before marching out the door. Obi-Wan and Padmé had to hurry to catch up with her, and they watched with stunned amazement as the pleasure worker stepped lightly up to one of the guards, appearing to flirt with him, while removing his blaster at the same time. The huge Bothan never had any idea he was being disarmed.

With an uncanny combination of stealth, speed, and accuracy, the Twi-Lek had independently taken out every single thug in the place, her final aim directed at the huge bulk of the Hutt who snarled at her with its wide mouth.

Aayla cocked her head to the side and without any warning, fired a shot straight into the middle of the Hutt's wide forehead. The overweight slug fell forward, toppling off its perch and landing unceremoniously in a pile on the middle of the gambling floor.

"After you, Master," she announced to Obi-Wan once she was sure they were safe.

Obi-Wan wasted no time exiting the establishment with Padmé on his heels.

"One question," Padmé asked Aayla as they fled down the streets leading to the market. "If you had the ability to do that, to gain your freedom, why didn't you do so before?"

Aayla followed, the blaster still gripped tightly in her hand. "I was waiting for you."


	50. Chapter 50

**Chapter Fifty**

She didn't question the ship's obvious lack of crew, or even where they were headed. In fact, Aayla seemed more than satisfied with her current physical state, happily strapping herself into the science officer's seat in the piloting station once on board. The Twi-Lek had apparently put all her trust in them even though they were complete strangers, and hadn't made it out of Ryloth with a single item to her name, other than the blaster she had confiscated.

Takeoff occurred without incident, and as soon as Obi-Wan had set their navigation for the return trip and activated the hyperdrive, Padmé spun around in her seat to face their visitor.

Aayla may not have concerns, but Padmé sure did.

"How long have you been a slave?" she asked the first of many questions filling her mind.

The bluntness of her question didn't seem to bother the Twi-Lek, who even smiled before answering. "Since I was very young. My parents were killed in the second civil war, and I was orphaned. Gargonn the Hutt purchased me at a slave auction when I was nine."

Nine? What a sad history, thought Padmé. "Where did you learn to fight like that?"

"There was a war, and if you didn't learn how to defend yourself, you were an easy target for the enemy."

There was one more question burning in Padmé's mind. It was the most prominent, but she was waiting until she had full control of herself before she asked it. Jealousy was not an attractive trait for anyone.

"What did you mean when you said it was 'your way'?"

Aayla studied her closely, and although Padmé didn't feel as if she were intruding on her thoughts, she did feel as if her mind was being read to an extent.

"You mean, why did I kiss him?"

Their's was going to be a strained relationship if she didn't get this question out of the way, and so Padmé decided that the best way to improve their rather rough beginning was to be completely honest.

"Exactly," she replied.

Aayla sat back and pondered, her hazel eyes glancing toward Obi-Wan who was busy studying one of the engineering datapads he'd retrieved from the conference room.

"I have a particular talent which has come in handy more than once in my life. Over the years, I've learned how to influence another's behavior."

"Through seduction?" Padmé asked when Aayla paused.

"That's not an entirely accurate description, although seduction is part of it. I don't really know how to explain it, but there's this power inside of me I can use to manipulate someone of the opposite sex. I used it on your husband just to make sure he was the one I was waiting for. It was a simple test."

Padmé gazed down at her hand. She had left the simple golden band Obi-Wan had given her on their wedding day back at the Temple. "How did you know we're married?"

"Are you kidding?" Aayla huffed incredulously. "Both your auras are screaming with the love you have for each other. "

"Really?" Padmé blushed. Aayla's confession had instantly vanquished all ill will from her mind.

"I'm jealous of you two actually," she continued, surprising Padmé even more. "I've never shared that type of feeling with anyone before."

"Perhaps one day you will," Padmé spoke with genuine hope and the belief that every being in the galaxy deserved to be happy, although she didn't think it was possible for them to have what she and Obi-Wan shared. Surely, their relationship was something modeled after no other's.

"Perhaps," Aayla answered wistfully. "Are we going to Naboo?" she asked, changing the subject entirely.

"That's amazing," Padmé uttered. "How did you know?"

Aayla's penciled brows twisted downward in confusion. "Because.," she answered slowly, "this is a class IV Naboo Cruiser is it not?"

"Oh," Padmé laughed, drawing the attention of Obi-Wan, who winked at her before returning his focus to his datapad. "I'm not that dumb," she excused herself lightly. "Not usually."

"I wouldn't think so," Aayla replied. "Being the queen and all."

"You know who I am?"

"You are Queen Amidala of Naboo. Ryloth isn't Dagobah, you know," the Twi-Lek explained good-naturedly. "I've traveled with Gargonn to many places. I was his favorite."

Padmé thought about what Aayla had said. "I would question how you so easily killed him then."

"As far as a Hutt goes, he wasn't vicious," she explained. "But I owed him no favors. Besides, I didn't kill him for my sake, but for yours. I didn't wish any harm to come to either of you."

Padmé smiled, grateful to the Force for guiding them to find this remarkable Twi-Lek.

"I think you and I are going to be friends," she announced, reaching across the short distance to grasp ahold of numble blue fingers.

Aayla returned her smile and squeezed Padmé's hand gently. "I hope so."


	51. Chapter 51

**Chapter Fifty-One**

Introductions were made around the Temple following their arrival, with Panaka the only raised brow amongst its residents. The Captain was more than willing, however, to show Aayla her quarters and to give her a guided tour of the building. Padmé and Obi-Wan gladly left him to it and gathered their own things to take back to their suite.

"When are you going to start training her?" Padmé asked as she unpacked the duffel Obi-Wan had tossed onto their bed.

Obi-Wan had taken the toiletries to the 'fresher, deciding to take advantage of the facilities and the sonic shower. "Right after she gets her bearings and a crystal has chosen her. We'll see where the Force leads after that."

"I'm curious to see where we need to go next. I hope it's not far," Padmé shared, as she tossed their dirty laundry into the appropriate bin by the door. "I like to travel, but these long trips are wearing me down."

"I know," Obi-Wan told her, his head sticking out through the 'fresher doorway, as he scrubbed his wet hair with a towel. "I could sense your tiredness on our return trip. Perhaps you should lie down and rest for a while."

"But I need to go to the map room."

"You need to take care of yourself," he scolded lightly, stepping into a fresh pair of pants and slipping a tunic over his head. "I'll put everything else away, you rest."

Padmé was about to argue, when she felt his arms come around her and squeeze in a gentle embrace. "I insist," he whispered into her ear.

She was about to concede when a knock sounded on their door and Rabé leaned in. "Mi'Lady, I have that fabric you were asking about."

"Let's see it," Padmé told the young woman, who carried in a bolt of cream-colored material. She and Obi-Wan both judged its texture and weight.

"Is that woven munni?" Padmé asked her handmaiden, as she rubbed the cloth between her fingers. "It won't be too warm will it?"

"No, Your Majesty. It breathes well, doesn't wrinkle, and is quite frugal. Two credits a bolt."

Affordable was right, but there was something about the fabric, Padmé didn't like. "It's rather…plain," she told Rabé.

"It's perfect," Obi-Wan stated. "A Jedi shouldn't be adorned like a Queen, nor her faithful maidens," he added, winking at Rabé. "I think its rather fitting for a humble servant of the Force, don' t you?"

Padmé gazed at Obi-Wan with amazement and appreciation. He always managed to help her see things in a different light. "Since you put it that way," she replied, turning her smile toward Rabé. "It will do nicely. See what you can make out of it. Something flowing and non restrictive. "

"Yes, Mi'Lady," Rabé answered before bowing and leaving the room.

"Now," Obi-Wan returned his attention to his wife. "To bed with you. The map room can wait."

After tucking Padmé in and making sure she was going to stay that way, Obi-Wan placed a kiss to her forehead and headed out to find Aayla.

He discovered the Twi-Lek in Panaka's quarters, studying the wide display of crystals on the dark table.

"Only one will show its true color," Obi-Wan explained as he approached. "Open your mind to use your inner sight, and it will be revealed to you."

Aayla scanned the table, her hand hovering over the middle selection before choosing. When she grabbed hold of an oblong piece, the crystal turned a pale green.

"You understood him?" Panaka asked her.

The Twi-Lek stared at the object in her hand. "You didn't?" she returned.

"Of course not. I don't speak, whatever it is he speaks."

"Interesting," Aayla answered succinctly before revealing her choice to Obi-Wan. "This one, Master."

Obi-Wan took the crystal from her hand and inserted it into one of the constructed hilts, dropping it neatly into the focusing chamber. Once he had secured the casing, he handed the weapon to his new trainee. Aayla grinned proudly and lit the sword with her thumb, flooding the room with a green glow.

Obi-Wan plucked his own lightsaber from his belt. "Follow me."

The two walked outdoors into the bright morning sun, squaring off in the wide stone circle located in the middle of the Temple garden. Before he began, Obi-Wan cleared his mind, recalling his own training days with Qui-Gon. It seemed a lifetime ago now, but he could still hear the man's voice as if he were standing right beside him.

"_Keep your stance narrow and stop dancing around so much. Hold your sword higher. Quit dropping your elbow. You don't need a lot of strength, just agility and speed, and you have both. Take advantage of them." _

"A lightsaber isn't a sword," he told Aayla as he executed his first strike, meeting hers in the middle with a sizzle of plasma energy. "You don't wield it as one. Watch your follow-through."

Again the lasers clashed together time and time again.

"Maintain your focus and watch for any opening you can. A drift, a distraction, a dropped defense,' he continued as Aayla's green weapon came at him time and time again.

"Good," Obi-Wan praised her. "Now practice handling it on your own. I'll return shortly." Obi-Wan frowned, as he double checked a sickening feeling radiating in his lower stomach.

"Is everything all right, Master?" she asked.

"Yes, fine. Continue with your exercises."

Obi-Wan deactivated his sword and quickly rushed back into the Temple. He had thought Padmé was sleeping, but he got the distinct impression she was in the map room.

He found her there all right, but not exactly in a position he had expected her to be in. She was, in fact, doubled over, her head sticking out an open window, the contents of her stomach splattered on the stone walk beneath it.

"What is it?" he asked, sweeping her hair back with his hand.

"I don't know. I couldn't sleep, so I thought I'd just come down here, but all of a sudden, I got really nauseated."

Obi-Wan swept her up in his arms just as Sabé marched in carrying a dripping wet towel.

"Here, I brought this in for her. Is she all right?"

Obi-Wan bore Padmé out into the hall with her handmaiden close behind. "She'll be fine, but she's going back to bed."

"Obi-Wan, I don't want to stay in my room! There's too much to do!" Padmé argued.

Obi-Wan kept walking. "For once, you're going to listen to me. You haven't slept in over twenty-six hours."

"But I can't sleep," Padmé continued the debate. "I've got too much on my mind."

"I'll take care of that," Obi-Wan replied, sweeping into their suite once Sabé had opened the door, and easing Padmé down upon their bed.

After her handmaiden had removed her shoes and Obi-Wan had loosened the bodice on her gown, he thanked and excused Sabé, then turned his attention to his wife, soothing her head with the cool, damp cloth, as well as words spoken with just a touch of the Force.

"You'll have plenty of time to do everything you need to later. You must sleep now. Sleep, Padmé," Obi-Wan droned, watching as her eyelids became heavier with each syllable. "Empty your mind, relax your body. Rest darling."

After several minutes, Padmé's chest rose and fell in a steady rhythm. His idea to use the Force to put her to sleep had worked, but Obi-Wan could not rejoice in the discovery.

For along with pleasure of seeing her get some rest, came the disturbance that there was something wrong.

Somehow, her aura had changed. Where it once was clean and bright, it was now muddled and blurred, like he was in need of spectacles. It alarmed Obi-Wan, especially since he didn't know exactly what that meant.


	52. Chapter 52

**Chapter Fifty-Two **

Sometimes, everything seemed like a dream, and he half expected to wake up with sand in his ears, dreading his day of being lowered into The Pit with its nauseating fumes and black walls. The depths of the well were lit by small fires fueled by the constant flow of a dark, oily substance seeping from the rocky ledges. However, it wasn't the oil Obi-Wan slaved away for hours every day retrieving; it was the water. Only on Avi-Kao was water the most valuable resource.

Here, on Naboo, there was water everywhere. In abundance. The sight of it all was still so unbelievable, as if Obi-Wan would someday blink his eyes and it would all disappear - evaporated by the heat of double suns or swept away by sandstorms.

The most precious gift of all, however, was not the water, but the beautiful woman he lay beside. Following his suggestion she sleep, heavily influenced by the power of the Force, Padmé had done exactly that. It wasn't until late afternoon, following a sparring session with Aayla that Obi-Wan discovered she was rousing. He lay on the bed next to her, pulling her body up close and planting tiny kisses into her hair.

"Feel better?"

"Remarkably," she replied, stretching her limbs and twisting round to greet him. "What time is it?" she asked after they embraced.

It was why he had checked on her. She had already missed mid meal, and lost her first one out the window. He had come to their room to make sure she didn't miss the third. "Almost time for third meal. Do you feel up to it?"

"I think so, and I am hungry," she replied closing her eyes once she sat up.

Obi-Wan steadied her with his hands, pulling her slowly off the bed into a standing position. "Take it easy."

"I think I just sat up too quick. I'm fine," she promised, taking the arm he offered.

Together, they walked down the residence hallway, past the handmaidens' rooms and the renamed Jedi's passage, into a sitting alcove overlooking the grand foyer below. The flight of steps just ahead would take them through the foyer and into the dining hall, but it was the room on the left which drew Padmé, and she paused, listening intently to the soft voice she was slowly becoming accustomed to.

"I need to take a moment," she explained to Obi-Wan, drawing him into the amphitheater of the map room. "If you wouldn't mind," she asked Obi-Wan after he had activated the glowlights. "Go over to the control center and activate the map. There's something I need to see."

Pleased that his wife was so attuned to the calling of the Force, Obi-Wan could not deny her wish, though he would insist she eat something soon.

"The blue button," Padmé prompted him as he looked over the vast array of controls.

Immediately the room was filled with a rotating mass of lights and spheres, with several concentrated clusters.

"Our galaxy," Padmé explained, lifting her finger to indicate a small blue and green planet. "That's Naboo, and all of this," she spanned her hand outward, "is Bothan Space." Her hand continued to glide to the right across the display as she continued. "Expansion Region, Outer Rim, but this." Suddenly, she stopped, touching a blue sphere, which somehow brought it forward into the room, enlarging it in the process. "This is what I'm interested in," Padmé pointed out, looking toward Obi-Wan. "I have a strong feeling this is where we need to go next."

Obi-Wan stepped forward from the control booth and down the few steps to join Padmé on the floor. From here, the planet had the appearance of Naboo, but with much less green. "Does it have a name?" he asked her.

"The official name is Dac, though most of the time it's referenced by its native species, the Mon Calamari."

"What are they like?" Obi-Wan asked, watching with keen interest as Padmé placed her finger on the planet, which automatically shot forth a list of markings. Her finger trailed through the lines and she pointed directly at one, which brought up a picture to answer his question.

"Is that what I think it is?" Obi-Wan asked, befuddled as he looked over the example.

Padmé smiled. He may have held his curiosity in check on Ryloth, but in the privacy of their home, his true reactions were revealed.

"They're aquatic," she explained, trying her best to be diplomatic, although she realized Obi-Wan probably didn't understand what that meant. He hadn't been in a body of water until they had gone to Varykino on their honeymoon. Once he had experienced it, she had quite a difficult time getting him out of it! And he had gone on and on about the colorful life he had seen in the lake.

"Basically, they're fish," she answered the question he was apparently reluctant to ask.

"I see," Obi-Wan replied, looking over the upright salmon-colored sentient being with webbed hands and feet, a domed head and bulging yellow eyes. "You're sure this is where the Force is leading us?"

Padmé took a moment to confirm her decision, her hand drifting up to the planet's display, which set the planet aglow just as Ryloth had done previously. "I'm positive," she answered.

"We'll leave tomorrow morning," Obi-Wan announced, turning to go back up the steps to deactivate the program. "But you're not coming with me."

Padmé gazed upward at him. Apparently, she hadn't woken up entirely, because she could've sworn he had just forbidden her to go. "Pardon me? Could you say that again?"

When the galaxy disappeared back into the holoprojector and the room lit up by artificial light, Obi-Wan approached her cautiously, although his face was determined. "You haven't been well, and you're tired. Even though you've slept most of the day, you still look tired. You said so yourself, these long trips are wearing you out, and what was the distance to Dac? Five thousand light years? And that will take what?"

"Approximately twenty hours bypassing a few gravity wells. And how did you know the distance?"

"Read it." Obi-Wan answered with ease, as if they were talking about the weather.

"You know, one of these days, you won't need me around any more." Padmé was joking, since Obi-Wan was gaining knowledge at such a fast rate, although he didn't seem to appreciate her humor. Not this time.

"That's not what this is about," he said seriously, stepping forward to take her face in his hands. "I'm worried about your health, and I want you to stay home. I'll check in on you from time to time."

Padmé gazed into the depths of Obi-Wan's eyes which reflected his deep concern, and she realized he wasn't demanding, he was pleading; and he was doing it out of love. "Are you taking Aayla with you?"

"I need to continue her training, and this will be a good experience for her, so yes."

Padmé stepped up and back into the hallway, with Obi-Wan quickly offering her his arm, which she took readily. "Good. At least you won't be alone. And I can just stay on board."

"Padmé."

She loved the way he said her name, even when he was being unreasonable. "Obi-Wan, listen. I can rest on board just as well as at home, but even more easily since I'll be with you."

"But you're always with me," Obi-Wan argued. "I'm never alone. Not any more. You're inside me, Padmé." Obi-Wan stopped and turned to face her, once more his face quite somber. Since when had he started taking everything so serious? "Here," he motioned to his head, "and here," he pointed to his heart. "Does that make sense?"

She knew exactly what he was talking about. The two of them had formed some type of connection along the way. She wasn't sure when it had happened and couldn't explain exactly what it was, but when he was happy or worried, she could tell it, and there was more to it than just judging his expression. For instance, right now not only was his countenance far too sober, but his aura was emanating far too much worry. She needed to try and fix that.

"Perfect sense, but I'm still going." Padmé grinned, once more taking his arm, deciding to quickly change the subject, although she knew their argument was far from over. "Let's get to that dining room. I'm so hungry, I could eat the south end of a northbound bantha!"

It was a phrase her father had often used, and one which always made her squeal in disgust as a girl. Instead of laughing, however, Obi-Wan just look confused.

"What's a bantha?"

After a moment's thought, Padmé merely smiled. "Forget it."


	53. Chapter 53

**Chapter Fifty-Three**

Although she had managed to hide the fact she had gotten sick again, Padmé couldn't hide the paleness of her face, although she'd tried. She hadn't worn this much cosmetics since the Neimoidian negotiations, and everyone knew how those turned out. She hoped she had better luck with this particular meeting.

Obi-Wan didn't say much when she met him in the hangar, but Padmé knew better. She put on a cheerful expression and kissed him good morning, bidding Aayla a good day as well.

"We've got a long trip ahead of us," Obi-Wan announced, "might as well get started."

The three of them loaded onto the cruiser, with Padmé immediately slipping away to the 'fresher. She thought she'd already emptied her stomach, but it still wasn't settled.

As soon as she had washed her face, there was a knock on the door. One check in the mirror revealed what Padmé feared. There was no way she could disguise her appearance now.

"I'll be out in a minute," she announced, pinching her sallow cheeks in order to make them appear more healthy. She had to keep up this ruse at least until they had left the planet. Surely, Obi-Wan wouldn't force her to return back home once they'd gone to hyperspeed.

"Miss? It's Aayla. May I speak with you?"

Even though she didn't know the Twi-Lek all that well, Padmé got the impression she could trust her. Hopefully, she would keep her secret from Obi-Wan.

Padmé slid the door open, greeting her once again with a smile. "What is it?"

"Here," Aayla said, holding out a mug filled with a steaming liquid the color of swamp mud. "It's a family recipe and should help with your nausea."

"It's that noticeable, huh?" Padmé asked, accepting the drink gratefully. "Where did you get the ingredients for this?"

"In the galley," Aayla explained. "You had everything but the rycrit milk, so I had to substitute.."

Padmé stopped any further details with the raise of her hand. "Don't tell me. I don't want to know." She sniffed the concoction, recognizing the odor of blossom wine and shuura juice. Shuura was her favorite fruit so it couldn't be that bad.

Carefully, she took a sip, immediately grimacing. She was wrong.

"I'm sorry, but this tastes terrible!" she told Aayla, who appeared to be quite entertained.

"I never said you would enjoy it, but it will settle your stomach."

This time, Padmé pinched her nose and swallowed a mouthful. She continued to breathe out her mouth for several seconds, and during that time, the prior queasiness abated. She then handed the mug back to Aayla.

"It worked. I feel much better now. Thank you."

"No problem," the beautiful young Twi-Lek answered, returning the cup back to the galley. Padmé followed her, wanting to see if the remnants of any of the ingredients were left out, but Aayla had already put everything away. "By the way, Master Obi-Wan wishes to see you. He's ready to go through takeoff procedures."

Indeed, when Padmé found Obi-Wan, he had already gone through most of the protocols, and was sitting in the pilot's chair. Padmé gladly took her place in the copilot's seat and signaled for permission to take off. Once it was granted and everyone was seated, Obi-Wan guided the cruiser up through the atmosphere and into open space, as if he had performed the duty countless times.

There were two gravity wells they would have to sidestep, and one asteroid field which ran parallel to Hydian Way they would need to avoid, but other than that, it was a clear path. Padmé entered the coordinates into the navcomputer, and once the hyperdrive was engaged, they were on their way.

The trip would last a little more than eleven hours, and she was planning on using that time to rest. When Obi-Wan had pointed out she looked tired, he hadn't been mistaken. She was tired, all the time, and she couldn't figure out why.

Maybe it was part of the grieving process. Although it had been nearly six months since the destruction of Theed and the loss of her parents, she still keenly felt the loss deep within her soul. Perhaps now, since everything had settled and her path was more clear, her body was taking the time to adjust.

"I'm going to go lie down and rest," she informed Obi-Wan, who stood and followed her back to the doorway leading into the far bedchamber.

"Sleep well, darling. If anything happens, I'll be sure to wake you and let you know."

Following a chaste kiss to her forehead, Padmé entered the room and collapsed onto the bed, immediately claimed by sleep.

* * *

Obi-Wan lay down the foam mats upon the flooring of the conference room, wishing to make the durasteel plates a little more comfortable on his knees. He motioned for Aayla to join him and together they sank into a kneeling posture. It was his plan to lead her through meditation of the Force, as it was his custom and something he deemed highly valuable as a Jedi.

Since making his home on Naboo, Obi-Wan had never failed returning to the hilltop where he had entered this world, and connecting to the power which had delivered him here. He chose to do so in the early mornings as the sun rose over Theed, knowing that soon its rays would be casting light onto the sleeping form of his beloved.

At first his thoughts would focus on her, but soon they would turn to the sounds and smells about him, the nature of the Force and how it was a part of every experience, and even those he had not confronted yet.

The Force was intriguing, mysterious, and if he wasn't careful, would lull him into a much longer meditation than he had anticipated.

Through his contemplations, he could sense Padmé awakening and would arise and rush back to her arms. It was his favorite time; enjoying the simple pleasure of beginning another day with her.

He shared all of this and more with Aayla before they began, in order to make her understand more fully the power she held within herself.

"You truly love her," Aayla noted softly.

Obi-Wan thought back to when they first met, how insane he must've appeared, and how she looked beyond the dirt, the strange dress, and his odd abilities, to see that he was more than just a warrior. "More than anything," he replied.

"You do realize she's ill, don't you?"

Aayla's words did very little to comfort Obi-Wan. Although Padmé was better, he could still sense the weariness which had seeped through her. "Yes, but I feel better knowing she's with me. I'm glad she insisted on coming."

There was no judgment in her tone or her eyes, just concern. "I gave her something for her nausea. Although I know very little about human sickness, I believe she is experiencing some type of gastrointestinal disruption that should pass soon."

Obi-Wan considered the possibility of such a simple diagnosis. He hoped Aayla was correct, but something kept nagging away at his optimism. "Thank you for helping her. I hope you're right."

* * *

The meditation with Aayla had been successful, and Obi-Wan felt more at ease with her abilities and place within the Force. However, his concern over Padmé's health still grew, especially after checking on her in the bedchamber and finding her to be restless and struggling to stay asleep.

Obi-Wan stole up quietly to the bed and lay beside her, drawing her gently into his arms, pleased to note she immediately stilled. She wasn't asleep, but she was much more relaxed.

"Perhaps when we get to Dac, we can locate a physician, just to make sure you're all right," he suggested.

Padmé snuggled against him, her eyes remaining closed. "I'm fine. You really need to stop worrying. It's just a stomach bug. Something I ate at home. Probably was that nerf steak we had a couple of days ago. Remind me to check the expiration date when we get back."

"Hey, I'm serious."

She turned then in his arms to gaze at him. "I know you are. All the time. You want me to relax? You need to as well. We have the Force to rely on. Stop worrying so much about everything! I'm fine. If I wasn't, I'd tell you so."

Obi-Wan continued to hold her, running his fingers through her long, brunette curls.

"Mm," she murmured groggily. "That feels nice."

"I love you. I'll try to stop worrying so much."

"Thank you," Padmé whispered before drifting off to sleep. Obi-Wan soon followed after her.


	54. Chapter 54

**Chapter Fifty-Four**

Clearance to land in Coral City had been issued without hesitation once the air travel authority of Dac recognized the owner of the H-class vessel. Apparently, the Mon Calamari had a great deal of respect for the Queen of Naboo, and several members of their government, introduced as Senate Leader Regab, Representative Ibtisam, and General Eerin were at the spaceport to greet them.

Padmé introduced her crew as 'a new committee looking for volunteers to investigate injustice across the galaxy.' Obi-Wan gave her an odd look, but said nothing to her as she walked with the Dac leaders, with he and Aayla following closely behind.

She was supposed to stay on board. In fact, she had promised him that before they had left Naboo, but she hadn't expected the planet's leaders to be waiting for them. It was important, she had told him, to be diplomatic or they would not get their cooperation, and since she was the only one they knew, she had to be the one to speak with them.

Obi-Wan agreed, although he wasn't happy with the change of plans.

"A committee? Is this part of your ongoing refugee charity work?" Leader Regab asked her.

Padmé chose her words carefully. The Mon Calamari were a private race, preferring to keep to themselves. Although they had a long and successful military history, they rarely ever allied with anyone else, staying devoted to their own kind. She wasn't sure how receptive Regab was going to be to the idea of them taking away a warrior to fight as a Jedi. So, she decided to stretch the truth a little, although allowing the Force to lead her at the same time.

"Not exactly. It is a separate entity," she explained. "Obi-Wan here is in charge of screening anyone interested in volunteering.

"What are the prerequisites for joining?" General Eerin, asked.

Padmé leaned her head to look at him as they continued toward the senate building. "There are none. Obi-Wan is a very fine judge of character. He is the one who decides. Like I said, it's a new proposition, and since the Mon Calamari are such a fine and upstanding race amongst the sentient species throughout galaxy, we thought we would stop by and ask for your assistance."

Ibtisam, a salmon-colored official wearing robes of blue spoke up, his voice low and gruff. "I would be interested in hearing more about your proposal, but you must be tired from your trip. Refreshment in the banquet hall is required. Come," he ushered with his webbed hand across the silver plank which rose above the ocean below.

In fact, the entire capital of Coral City was situated in the water. Obi-Wan stared about him, trying his best not to gawk at the shining dome-shaped buildings surrounded by a collection of spires and towers, with a few lower-level domes scattered about them. Connecting the buildings were walkways, some with moving floors. They stepped onto one of them, which took him a second or two to adjust his balance as the path swept them away at an increased pace toward the largest dome structure in the center of the city.

Once they had reached the entry point, the walkway slowed, allowing them time to shuffle onto the silver decking which comprised most of the city's base. Ahead was a high arched doorway surrounded by an artistic filigree frame and neighbored by equally large windows.

Inside, there were moving pictures of Mon Calamari warriors bearing a variety of weapons, each displaying high levels of expertise, confirming his belief that the Force had led them to the right place. They might look like fish, but they seemed to be proud, strong race.

The group was led through a large open area, and then to the right, down a flight of steps which led to a hallway that opened to an expansive oval room lined with windows. Through the glass, Obi-Wan could spy several species of fish, and he grinned, despite his efforts to appear important.

They were seated around an oblong transparent table with similar decorative edgings as the doorways, and asked to wait.

Once left alone, Padmé took the opportunity to explain their situation with Obi-Wan and Aayla, as well as her reasoning behind her deceit.

As well, Obi-Wan explained his feeling they had come to the right place, and how he was fully expecting to leave this place with a well-honed soldier.

"That's for you and the Force to decide," Padmé mentioned as they awaited the offerings of food and drink. "I got you here in one piece."

"Mostly," Aayla remarked, earning a playful scowl.

"As a matter of fact," Padmé responded confidently, "I feel just fine. I'm actually quite hungry."

Obi-Wan had been listening to their conversation, although Padmé could tell he was distracted. She had seen that look on his face before, and it told her he was presently trying to define the eddies of the Force, hoping it would lead them to his next trainee.

But first, they would dine with the Mon Calamari.

"Only our best for the Queen of Naboo and her guests," Regab announced as he entered the room, followed by a trio of similar-colored Mon Cal Padmé assumed was his family. After him were a pair, one of them being the General and possibly his wife, and lastly was Representative Ibtisam and another female.

After introductions were made, only then did Padmé become aware she had been mostly correct in her assumptions.

"Queen Amidala, allow me to introduce my daughter who is currently at the top of her class in the military academy. I have high hopes for her."

Padmé smiled kindly at the younger Mon Cal, whose skin was unlike her father's, being more of a silvery green color than the darker blue-green. She smiled kindly in response, although Padmé had the strong suspicion she was not everything her father had bragged about her being. For one, she was far too small to be an advanced Mon Calamari warrior, and her eyes were far too gentle.

The leaders seated themselves about the Jedi, spreading far out around the table, and once relaxed, began their many questions about the motivation behind Padmé's reasons for their visit. She did her best to answer them all, however, during the course of the discussion, had managed to lose focus.

The meal had been served.

In front of her, a servant had dropped a plateful of pink food which squiggled and squirmed before her eyes.

"A coral worm appetizer," Regab announced proudly. "And for the second course, demonsquid soup, followed by an entrée of deep fried drejil. Quite the delicacy around here."

It took a matter of three seconds for Obi-Wan's hand to land upon her arm, but after that, all Padmé could remember was bolting from the room. She actually managed to make it to the walkway outdoors before becoming sick over its side, the liquefied contents of her stomach joining with the ocean below.

It was Aayla who had followed her out, leaving poor Obi-Wan behind.

"Master Obi-Wan asked me to check and make sure you're all right."

No, she wasn't all right! Everything in this place smelled like squid! And every time she blinked, all she could see was a massive pile of twsting and turning worms!

"Tell Obi-Wan I'm going back to the ship to lie down." Padmé paused to belch in a quite unlady-like manner. "I'm sorry. Give my apologies to Leader Regab and the others.

Once she'd made it back to the ship, Padmé collapsed upon her bed, dragging an empty trash receptacle with her and clutching it to her side.

She wasn't sure how much time had passed, but at some point, someone had started nudging on her shoulder, and a wet cloth had been placed upon her forehead.

"How are you feeling?"

Padmé managed to grunt though did not open her eyes.

"Darling, can you wake up for just a moment? I'm sorry, but I need your help."

She was trying! "What is it?" Slowly, with his assistance, Padmé sat upright in the bed, although she leaned backward against the wall, still hugging the receptacle tightly.

"I found them. Or, I guess I should say _her_."

That got her attention, and even made her feel a little better. "Who is it?"

"That's the problem," Obi-Wan explained. "Her name's Bant."

Padmé's brows rose when Obi-Wan paused. "And?" she prompted. Could it be that bad?

"She's the General's daughter."

"That slender, silver Mon Cal who had joined us for our meal?"

"That's her."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes."

No further explanation was needed. The General was obviously proud of his daughter and her accomplishments at the Mon Calamari Academy – an establishment notorious for training only the most elite Mon Calamari fighters and pilots. Its reputation was well known throughout the galaxy, as was the long tradition of military experience which ran through certain Mon Calamari families for generations.

Padmé fell back once more against the wall. "That _is_ a problem," she admitted.


	55. Chapter 55

**Chapter Fifty-Five**

Obi-Wan returned to the cruiser's conference room where Aayla was waiting on him, not pleased to be the bearer of bad tidings. Padmé was too ill to accompany them back into the senate to negotiate with General Eerin for permission to take his daughter.

A long history of military tradition in the Eerin family had held him fast to his early denial, and there was no reconsideration to be had.

At least not without the Queen's assistance.

Obi-Wan didn't know what they were going to do. The Force was very clear when it had defined Bant Eerin as their next trainee. He hadn't counted on such a strong opposition.

"What's our next move?" Aayla asked as soon as he walked in.

Obi-Wan scrubbed his face with his hand, annoyed but not defeated. There had to be something they could do to convince the Mon Cal leader. "I say we wait and see what happens. Perhaps Bant will be able to convince her father on her own."

The look he received from his comrade betrayed his false sense of confidence. The General was obviously a man of powerful standing on this planet and had a great influence over his family. Bant hadn't said a word while her father refused their request.

"You and I both know that's not going to happen." Aayla argued. "We could take her by force."

Obi-Wan wasn't exactly surprised with her suggestion, but he didn't feel led to resort to such an aggressive move in this situation. Besides, as Padmé had already told him, they didn't need to make enemies of the Mon Calamari.

Just when he was beginning to lose hope, a soft tapping occurred on the hull of the ship. Obi-Wan stepped to the loading ramp to greet none other than the General's daughter herself.

"I wish to speak with you," she requested with a soft and gentle voice, so unlike her father's gruff one.

"Come aboard," Obi-Wan offered, stepping aside to allow her entry.

"Were you able to change your father's mind?" Aayla immediately asked as soon as Bant stepped into the ship.

"I'm afraid not, but that's not what I'm here for. Leader Regab has asked if I would deliver a message to Queen Amidala."

Obi-Wan opened his awareness, amazed when he was once again confronted by an enormous amount of power. However, it was unlike that he had sensed coming from Aayla. Bant's gifts lie elsewhere and not as a warrior. He wasn't sure what her place would be, but he could not deny her the opportunity to discover it. If only her father could see what he saw.

"Right this way," he told her, leading the silver-skinned Mon Cal through the ship. After checking on Padmé first, he ushered Bant into the chamber.

The Mon Calamari immediately sat alongside Padmé, her wide mouth spreading out even more. "My father has asked me to offer his condolences for your obvious illness and he wishes you a speedy recovery. However, he also wishes for you and your friends to depart from Dac as soon as possible."

Padmé frowned at the young Mon Cal, reaching out a sympathetic hand to place on her silver arm. "What do you want, Bant?"

Suddenly and unmistakenly, Obi-Wan felt a surge in the Force like a wave developing and rippling toward the shores Varykino. He studied the ebb and flow, observing Bant as her wide-set eyes blinked several times while her webbed hand landed softly upon Padmé's.

"I want to help you," she told Padmé, which surprised everyone in the room.

"You can do that?"

Bant looked up at Obi-Wan and then back down to the young woman lying in the bed, her broad face drawn by an obvious deep empathy. "I have a gift. I've tried to explain it to my father, but he won't listen. I don't want to be in the military. I'm not a fighter. I don't wish to kill. I wish to heal."

"Then do it," Obi-Wan said, anxious to have his wife feel better. Every second she suffered, he did so right along with her.

"Relax," Bant commanded before placing her multi-membraned hand over Padmé's forehead, one tip landing gently on her temple, while the other hand was placed over Padmé's stomach.

Soon, the Mon Calamari began humming softly, her eyes closed, and the eddies in the Force multiplied.

Several minutes later, everything settled, Padmé opened her eyes, and Bant slumped.

"How do you feel?" Obi-Wan asked his wife.

Padmé sat quite still, her focus decidedly inward until a wide grin spread across her face. "I feel fine," she announced.

Obi-Wan could see an immediate difference in her coloring, however, there was still the matter of the muddying of her signature in the Force.

"Bant," he began, sitting down opposite both of them. "Are you aware of the power you're accessing when you do that?"

"Yes, of course. It's the energy that is within all living things, although it has no name."

"But it does," Obi-Wan explained. "It's called the Force, and I believe you have been chosen to become a warrior of the Force, although in a slightly different position. I think you're meant to be a Healer."

Bant considered his words for a moment before she began nodding her oval head. "I'd like that."

"Then perhaps Padmé can testify to your father the results of that gift. She is obviously better." Obi-Wan announced gladly.

The Mon Cal moved her gaze away from Padmé and back to him, her countenance sobering. "She is more than better. She is with child."

It was a strange benefit of the Force in this world. When trying to communicate with anyone other than Padmé and Aayla, Obi-Wan simply couldn't understand them. He hadn't been able to interpret anything the Dac leaders had said, but when it came to Bant, he understood her perfectly well.

Or at least he thought he could

"Say that again?"

"The Queen of Naboo is a going to have a podling," Bant announced. "That is the cause of her ongoing illness, I believe. I have healed her current sickness, but it will only last momentarily. More than likely, she will continue to have digestive disturbances as a side effect of her pregnancy."

"Padmé," Obi-Wan said, drawing his wife's attention, who appeared to have gone into some type of shock. "Are you all right?"

"I think so," she answered vaguely.

Obi-Wan had never been one to reveal any amount of outward exuberance, although he was more than a little ecstatic about the news. He was finally going to have a family! And with a woman he loved more than anything in this or any other world.

Slightly worried about her reaction, but sure she would be as happy as he was once the shock wore off, Obi-Wan reached for her hand, sighing with relief when she squeezed it tightly.

"A baby," she announced, her eyes misting with tears.

"Congratulations, both of you," Bant replied, sitting up more straight, her chin held high. "Let's go share the news with my father."


	56. Chapter 56

**Chapter Fifty-Six**

"No daughter of mine is going to go gallivanting around the galaxy with a bunch of half-witted radicals!"

Even though his words made no sense to Obi-Wan, the booming voice and aggressive stance of General Eerin spoke loud and clear.

It was what Obi-Wan had feared. Bant's father obviously was not going to allow her to leave.

"The Queen is with child and she is feeling much better. And it is I, Father, who made her feel that way. Me! This is my calling in this life! To help others when I can, and I'm going do it!"

Both Obi-Wan and Aayla leaned forward when the large Mon Cal approached his daughter, the large bulging eyes narrowing with barely-checked fury.

"You're as deceitful as your mother."

Obi-Wan was quickly learning the body language of his potential trainee, and he could tell by the way her wide mouth drooped that she was unhappy with the General's response. However, he also noted that her shoulders stay straight, and her back was strong. She was proud of her abilities and knew who she was, and Obi-Wan was determined to have her join them.

"My mother would be happy for me, Father. Happy because I found my calling. I am following after it, and there is nothing you can do to stop me."

Although her voice was soft, her words were sharp as Bant turned her back on her father.

However, when she did so, Obi-Wan noticed the coloring of the older Mon Cal's face shifted to a darker tone, and his chin jutted forward. He was furious and he drew his weapon, spouting his vehemence.

"You will not betray me or the honor of your family!" he shouted, aiming directly at Bant's back, although he did not have time to fire.

With a flash of light and amazing speed, Obi-Wan had drawn his sword, neatly slicing through the muzzle of the blaster in the General's hand, the smoking and sizzling metal falling with a clank to the hard flooring.

Aayla stepped forward at that point, her own weapon glowing green against the Mon Cal's fluttering gills. "Bant has decided to go with us, and that is where she's going. We do not wish to come between the two of you, but the choice is hers."

Obi-Wan held his weapon ready, aware of the approaching guards, two on each side of the room, who had drawn their own blasters and were pointing them in their direction. He wasn't sure what was about to happen, but the fluctuations currently running in the Force were coming from security, not from the General himself. The staunch military man was now revealing a look bordering on amazement more than anger.

"By the seas!" he exclaimed. "Jedi! I never thought I would see the day!"

"You know who we are?" Aayla asked.

"Of course I do! History of the Jedi and stories of their service to galaxy are well known among the Mon Calamari. We have a strong military background that goes even further back than the mighty Jedi themselves."

As General Eerin spoke, Obi-Wan lowered his weapon, although he had yet turned it off. He wouldn't until the guards had done the same. However, he could sense a great amount of relief and excitement coming from the leader, and Bant had even returned to stand by Obi-Wan's side.

"Is my daughter to become one of the Jedi?" he asked with great interest.

"It is our intention to train her in the ways of the Jedi, yes," Aayla explained.

General Eerin stepped forward and placed both of his large hands on Bant's narrow shoulders. "Then I hand her over to you with great pleasure," he replied. "My daughter, the Jedi! Nothing could make me more proud."

"Thank you, Father." Bant smiled broadly and patted the General's hand before stepping back and walking away.

Obi-Wan finally replaced his hilt on his belt, nodding for Aayla to do the same once he was assured the disruption in the Force had settled, and the guards had returned to the former positions.

"Thank you," Obi-Wan told the General before backing out of the room and joining Bant and Aayla on their return to the ship.

Obi-Wan stepped alongside the slight Mon Cal as they strolled down the platforms rising above the waters. It was a pleasant day on Dac, and the winds swept the salt-laden breeze against his skin, filling Obi-Wan with a sense of utter peace.

The Force had provided yet another trainee and Padmé was feeling better. Everything seemed to be going perfectly well.

"You were going to defend me against my father, weren't you?" he suddenly heard Bant ask.

"If I needed to, yes," Obi-Wan replied.

"Then, I thank you for saving my life."

Obi-Wan considered that statement. At the time, he hadn't been sure the General would actually shoot his own daughter, but apparently Bant had felt he would've. They continued walking for a while, most of the taller buildings having passed by, and soon the ship came into view.

"There's no need to thank me," he finally replied. "You're part of the Jedi now. We not only protect the innocent, but one another."

"I'm pleased to have been chosen to join you," Bant announced as they stepped up to the ramp, with Aayla boarding ahead of them.

"I didn't choose you," Obi-Wan explained. "The Force did."

"I see," Bant replied, taking the time to turn and take a farewell glance at her city before smiling at Obi-Wan. "Then allow me to choose you."

Obi-Wan's brow lowered in confusion. "Choose me for what?"

"A friend," Bant answered, offering her webbed hand, which Obi-Wan shook with gratitude adding a joyful smile of his own.

"I'd be more than happy to."


	57. Chapter 57

**Chapter Fifty-Seven **

He wasn't begging, but he needed help from someone. Anyone out there. Two in particular. Though, Obi-Wan wasn't that familiar with the process of calling back an entity of the Force, he sent out his plea just in case they were listening. They had told him he would never be alone, and he needed to talk to someone desperately.

Padme was bedridden. On their return trip from Dac, she had become ill once again. Bant was doing all she could, but apparently, the pregnancy was not going to be without complications. Once they had passed into the Bothan System, she had begun bleeding. Their newly-found Healer was able to make it stop, but had explained to Obi-Wan there was only so much she could do. Padme needed to stay off her feet for the duration of the pregnancy, which meant for the next six months she was confined to her chamber.

If it were that long. Bant made no promises the pregnancy would reach its inevitable conclusion, and when Obi-Wan had asked about the possibility of the baby not surviving, Bant couldn't answer that either. It seemed as if their lives were in someone else's hands, and Obi-Wan wanted answers.

He rose early that morning after ensuring Padme was resting comfortably and strode up to the peak which overlooked Theed. There, he sunk into a meditative posture, opening his heart and mind to anyone who was listening. It was almost an hour before someone answered his beckoned call, but eventually a figure materialized directly in front of him, hovering over the open cavern.

"Thank you for coming," Obi-Wan released, his shoulders slumped with worry.

The ethereal Qui-Gon, nearly transparent against the bright blue Naboo sky smiled back warmly. "I told you I would be with you, and I have been."

"You said you would come when I needed you," Obi-Wan reminded him.

"But you don't need me. Bant Eerin is a capable healer and will do everything she can," Qui-Gon answered, however, his reply was not exactly what Obi-Wan wanted to hear. He didn't doubt Bant's abilities. That wasn't the problem!

"I must know if Padme will live through this. And what about the child?"

Qui-Gon continued to hover in mid air, his posture unchanged, but his appearance had altered. One brow had lifted, which reminded Obi-Wan he was about to be taught a lesson. However, at this particular moment, a lecture was not something he was willing to hear.

"It is never a good idea to know too much about one's future," Qui-Gon began, only to be stopped by a forceful lifting of Obi-Wan's hand.

"Don't give me that! Me knowing about the safety of my family has very little to do with the existence of this galaxy!"

Obi-Wan had never raised his voice to his Master, but he was at his wit's end. He could see the disappointment in Qui-Gon's eyes, but at least something good had come out of his outburst. Once again, Qui-Gon was joined by another beloved spirit.

"Sir, I mean, Yoda," Obi-Wan addressed the appearing figure using the name he had shared just recently.

"Your family, survive they will," the wizened Jedi admitted, immediately relieving all Obi-Wan's anxiety which released the gates holding back all his pent-up emotions. He wept, and could only remember doing that two other times in his life.

"I thought we had decided not to tell him that," Qui-Gon mentioned to Yoda directly in front of their Obi-Wan, not even attempting to lower his voice.

Yoda paid him no mind, shrugged his shoulders and leaned forward on his walking stick. "No disturbance I see as a result of him knowing,"

Obi-Wan wiped his face with the back of a sleeve, staining the red cloth darker. "Thank you," he told them both.

"One thing we can agree on;" Qui-Gon eyed the smaller Master warily before focusing on Obi-Wan, "is that you need to focus on the present. Keep your mind on the here and now."

It was a lesson Qui-Gon had tried to teach him back on Soturi when he was about to enter the battlefield. Don't become distracted, maintain your focus. Obi-Wan wondered why Qui-Gon was re-iterating that particular teaching now. The realization he had missed something only occurred to him when Yoda manifested just to his left, his peculiar clawed feet standing on firm ground.

"Clear your mind."

Obi-Wan did as he was requested to, his thoughts no longer clouded by his concerns and worries of Padme and their unborn child. In its place, however, was something far more ominous. A dark mass was moving over the horizon, threatening, sinister. Obi-Wan was alarmed he hadn't noticed it before.

"See it you do," Yoda's voice spoke to him as he observed the darkness which seemed to reach out for him to draw him into its wake.

"What is it?"

"It's the Dark Side of the Force," Qui-Gon explained, also moving to stand next to Obi-Wan. "It's always been present, but only recently has it started to gain momentum."

"Because of me," Obi-Wan guessed. Before he had fallen in love with Padme, before they had created a child, he had been focused and in tune with the power that moved the planets. He had not noticed anything out of place then.

"The balance has shifted." Qui-Gon told him before his image began fading into the background of the forest.

"Aware you must be, but prepared you are."

Yoda too began to evanesce, but before he completely vanished, there was something Obi-Wan needed to confirm. "You really think I'm ready?"

"A Jedi you are, in the Light you will stay. Forseen it I have. May the Force be with you."

The final words were a mere whisper carried along the breeze which swept across the peak, but it reinforced his commitment and put a confidence in his stride. There was a spring in Obi-Wan's step when he returned down the path which led to Theed. Whatever was coming, he didn't have to face on his own. Although Padme was confined to bed, she would be fine, as would their child. Bant would make sure of that. And then there was Aayla. A powerful and cunning warrior, Obi-Wan was proud to have her join them, and was sure she would fight well for their cause.

It was another beautiful day on Naboo, with the sun rising over the distant mountain, lifting the mist which clung to the valleys. The path on which he tread was moist, with dead leaves sticking to his boots. A variety of critters scampered out of his way as Obi-Wan passed, and a sense of peace settled over Obi-Wan. Until it was suddenly invaded by a shadow. Not a distinct darkness like he had detected during his meditation, but this was subtle, like a cloud passing over the sun. It was only present for a moment, but it gave him pause and caused Obi-Wan to glance upward toward a clear, blue sky.

Just before he had cast his gaze back down to the path, the Force warned him he was no longer alone. There was someone else in the woods besides the the animals. A stranger who didn't make his appearance until the path wandered around a fallen tree. Dressed all in black with matching hair which covered half his face, the young man would appear dangerous if it weren't for the mischievous grin he displayed.

The stranger stepped forward, immediately extending a hand. "Obi-Wan, I presume?"

Obi-Wan paused. He understood the language, which meant the young man was a Force user, although he was having trouble sensing it. During his initial approach, he couldn't get a reading of the stranger at all. There was something about him though which Obi-Wan found intriguing, although at the time, he couldn't put his finger on it. "That's me, and you are?"

"Xanatos of Telos IV," the visitor said in way of an introduction, shaking Obi-Wan's hand.

Obi-Wan continued down the path, with the young man following closely by his side as the trail narrowed. "What brings you here, Xanatos?"

"Word is spreading about a collection I'm interested in. Apparently, you are gathering fighters with, shall we say...exceptional skills."

Obi-Wan stopped when the path opened into a clearing, beyond which he could see the paved street leading to Theed. He glanced about the space, looking for something in particular. "And you believe you possess such skills?" Obi-Wan questioned as he stepped toward what he needed, picking up a large branch and breaking it in half. As soon as he'd done so, one of the makeshift weapons drifted out of his hand and into the grasp of the visitor.

"Mastered, I'd say," Xanatos noted with some pride.

The test would not be a true one, but it would give Obi-Wan some idea how Xanatos handled himself in a fight. The two squared off in the clearing, the branches clacking together between them. The battle started playfully at first, but soon became more aggressive with faster thrusts, and equally quick parries.

"Not bad," Obi-Wan noted as he twisted round and blocked Xanatos' blow on the back side. "You have speed, but you need to work on your footing."

The young man's face was hopeful as he awaited a reply, while Obi-Wan cleared his mind and tried to read the nuances of the Force. The answer was as vague as his reading of the young man himself. "I'll give you a try," he stated finally, receiving a much firmer handshake in response.

"You won't regret it," Xanatos promised, his white teeth glowing in the sunlight.

"Welcome to the Jedi."


	58. Chapter 58

**Chapter Fifty-Eight**

Their new recruit seemed as impressed with Naboo as Obi-Wan was when he'd first arrived. As they made their way back to the Temple, he couldn't help but notice the way Xanatos' gaze seemed to appreciate everything around him with a sense of wonder. Perhaps he too had come from a place where there was nothing but sand and sky.

"I see you've converted the palace. Good thinking," Xanatos shared as they entered into the lobby, quickly greeted by Captain Panaka and Aayla.

Obi-Wan took the opportunity to introduce his comrades, who greeted the man in a friendly manner, or as friendly as Panaka could be. It had taken Obi-Wan many days to earn the head of security's trust. He was certain he had obtained it, however. In fact, he might go as far to call Panaka a friend.

"There is another I'd like you to meet, but I'm afraid we'll have to disturb her privacy."

Xanatos followed Obi-Wan down the long hallway, greeted by a few handmaidens coming to and fro from their suite. Inside, they found Padme sitting upright on the bed, giggling with Bant who was leaving the room.

"Obi-Wan, there you are," his wife noted as Obi-Wan walked up and landed a soft kiss onto her forehead. "I was beginning to wonder about you. Your meditations usually don't take this long."

"I thought you were asleep," Obi-Wan murmured to her as he took her hand.

Padme eyed him suspiciously though playfully. "You can't get away from me that easily," she toyed before turning her attention to their guest. "Who is this?"

"Allow me to introduce Xanatos. We met in the woods."

Padme's former expression was turned on the initiate. "You did, did you?" she asked with a cautious smile.

"Sprung up from the ground like a bubble spor," he answered with a lopsided grin. "It's my honor to meet you."

The dark-haired man stepped forward and bent low to place a kiss to Padme's knuckles. The gesture was meant to be obliging, but Padme curled her fist when it was complete. She had been the recipient of such greetings countless times during her career, but this time, there was something in his looks Padme did not like. There was an arrogance to his smile, a shift about his gaze, which he attempted to hide behind the ridiculous sweep of dark hair which concealed half his face. The one eye which stared at her was light blue, cold, and calculating.

"What brings you to us, Xanatos?" Padme asked.

"Word has come to me there are those here who possess particular gifts which will benefit the less fortunate. I too possess such gifts and am offering my services to you."

The reply was said without pretense. Padme didn't doubt his talents, only his motivation. At that moment, Bant, who had been absorbing her required mositure in the sonic unit entered the room, her skin damp with clinging droplets of water. "Allow me to introduce Bant Eerin, who comes to us from Dac."

Instead of offering his hand in greeting, Xanatos bowed slightly. "Let me guess. You are a student of the healing arts."

"How did you know that?"

Bant's question brought the fairly haughty grin back to new Jedi's face. "I assumed, since you're too small to be a warrior."

"I beg your pardon," Bant replied in shock, at which point Obi-Wan interrupted.

"There's still some testing which needs to be done before we have ascertained Xanatos' true abilities. Then, we'll decide where his place in the Jedi should be."

Padme watched the visitor's face closely. As anticipated, he seemed quite surprised by Obi-Wan's statement.

"I'll meet you in training room three in a moment," Obi-Wan told him. "Bant, would you show him the way, please?"

Even Bant seemed hesitant to be in the company of their guest, but apparently was aware Obi-Wan wished to be alone with his wife. She took Xanatos out of the room as Obi-Wan had wished, leaving the two of them together.

"You don't like him," Obi-Wan announced with the bluntness Padme had learned to expect from him.

"It's not that," Padme hesitated, trying her best to not be so judgmental, especially after only a single meeting. "There's something about him that bothers me. I don't trust him."

Obi-Wan sat down on the side of the bed, taking the time to smooth a caress over her belly, which was just now beginning to show signs of her pregnancy."Perhaps you don't trust the circumstances," he countered. "Because you didn't have a hand in it."

Her mouth dropped open at the accusation. "Are you joking?" she blurted out with hurt feelings. Did Obi-Wan honestly believe she didn't trust him to make a decision such as this on his own? Did he think she was that prideful? That conceited to think that only she had the gift of finding their next initiate? Did he really believe that?

More importantly, a small voice asked her suddenly, was he right?

Padme quickly studied her thoughts on the matter. So far, she had been the one the Force had guided. She was the one who stood in the map room and felt led to a particular system, where they would find someone worthy to be called a Jedi. It was her only contribution to their cause, and now apparently, that had been taken away. She didn't like it.

And now, here she lay, confined to bed, without anything to do, pouting like a child.

"I'm sorry," Padme apologized for her outburst, wanting to blame her emotional upheavals on her pregnancy, but not willing to place the blame where it didn't belong.

Obi-Wan leaned forward to tenderly graze her lips with his own, repeating the motion several times before tucking an errant lock of hair behind her ear. "No need, darling. You don't have to worry. I'll test him further, consult the Force about it, and if everything works out, he'll stay. If not, I'll ask him to leave."

Padme allowed Obi-Wan's assurance and confidence to sweep over her, taking away much of the nagging feeling inside, although not completely. "Did the Force reveal anything to you about him? Did it tell you anything?"

The question was mulled over before an answer was formed. The problem was, the Force had been rather vague where Xanatos was concerned, which was why Obi-Wan would take into account Padme's suspicions. They were a team after all and he regarded her opinion quite highly. "It didn't tell me no," he finally admitted, sidestepping the entire truth of the matter.

Padme knew him well enough to know he was avoiding the issue. For the timebeing. One eyebrow lifted high as she contemplated his reply, her hand gripping his tightly. "Be careful, Obi-Wan. We don't really know who we're dealing with."

One more kiss landed upon her forehead as Obi-Wan rose from the bed. "I'll be careful," he promised before he left her side.


	59. Chapter 59

**Chapter Fifty-Nine**

Padme was a decent judge of character. Discerning and intelligent, she would often seen flaws in someone Obi-Wan did not. However, when it came to Xanatos, he was sure she'd been too quick to form an opinion. Perhaps it was the man's arrogance which displeased her so much. It was indeed an imperfection Obi-Wan would work on during his training, but he was sure Xanatos would prove to be a fine addition to the Jedi. He was, after all, quite skilled with the sword, quick-thinking, and a hard worker. He was also one of the quickest fighters Obi-Wan had ever seen. There were several times Obi-Wan had almost been bested by him during a practice bout.

After several days, Obi-Wan was confident enough that he felt it was time to tell Xanatos he had been awarded the position, although Obi-Wan decided to show him instead. He did so by taking the new Jedi to the weapons room where they stored all the lightsaber hilts and crystals. It would be the man's task to choose his own sword and power source based upon the guidance of the Force. Only then, would Xanatos become a true Jedi and Obi-Wan could tell Padme to relax.

"Choose wisely," Obi-Wan announced, his hand spanning the long table which displayed everything Xanatos would need. "Let the Force guide you."

The dark-haired man studied the collection, his hand hovering over each individual piece. As he did so, Obi-Wan held his breath, trying to anticipate which stone would be his and what color it would be. Purple like Padme's? Or perhaps blue or green like his and Aayla's?

"This one speaks to me," Xanatos announced suddenly, picking up a shard, which immediately began emanating a hue similar to that of the setting sun. It started as yellow but then shifted to orange. However, when Xanatos dropped it into the hilt as directed by Obi-Wan, secured it and switched on the blade, the laser shooting forth from the weapon was red. Blood red. A deep, crimson color, much darker than Obi-Wan had expected.

"Matches my personality," Xanatos joked as he swung the sword to and fro. "I always was a man of passion and action."

"Good traits to have, as long as you keep things in perspective," Obi-Wan warned as the Jedi switched off his new weapon and attached it to his belt. "You may begin your training sessions with Aayla now. It will do her well to practice with someone other than me."

For a split second, it appeared as if Xanatos was disappointed.

"Is that acceptable?"

Xanatos swept his dark fringe off his forehead to reveal the circular scar he apparently used the hair to disguise, although he had never told Obi-Wan the story behind it. "I was hoping to train with you."

Obi-Wan accepted the statement as a compliment, unless, of course, Xanatos had a problem training with anyone else. "I think you will find her quite challenging."

The expression on the man's face was difficult to read. Obi-Wan couldn't tell if Xanatos had accepted his words as truth, or if his arrogance went much deeper than even Padme had suspected. He was now facing a challenge of his own.

"You will find Aayla in training room two, I believe. She's aleady there waiting for you." Obi-Wan announced firmly.

It took a moment, and not one without hesitation, until Xanatos finally responded and began walking that way. He was pleased they had found another Jedi, but Obi-Wan was no fool. He would keep an eye on their new addition, and when the time came to set out to find new recruits, he would accompany Xanatos himself. At least until this nagging feeling went away.

In the meantime, he needed to tell Padme the news, and was hoping she wouldn't give him too much grief about his decision.

When Obi-Wan walked into their suite, he discovered Bant and Padme on their bed engaged in a rather serious game of sabaac. It seemed as if Padme was winning, but Bant's demeanor would not lead anyone to suspect so. The two females glared at each other across the game until Padme's lip twitched and lifted into a grin, and she placed down what appeared to be a victorious set.

Obi-Wan had played this game with her on occasion, but not so much any more. She was good at it, and he didn't enjoy losing all that much. He was glad she had someone else to torment now.

"I believe," Bant told her, placing her cards back into the deck with calm assurity, "you cheated."

Padme put on a display of complete shock. "Now, you're starting to sound just like Obi-Wan. He won't even play the game with me any more."

"I don't blame him!" Bant took the cards and shuffled them between her long, webbed fingers. "You've bested me four to one."

"Five," Padme corrected playfully, a grin on her face during the entire conversation.

"I can say with great confidence that I have mastered one thing about this game, and that's only because I've had lots of practice at it," Bant continued as she rose from the bed to put the cards away.

"What's that?" Padme asked her.

"Losing," Bant said in such a deadpan voice, it caused Padme to began to giggle, which prompted Obi-Wan to come out of the doorway where he'd been spying on the two of them. He was pleased to find Padme in good spirits this afternoon. Although she had taken to being confined to bed as well as she could, he knew how much not staying busy and occupied throughout the Temple bothered her.

"Obi-Wan, there you are," she said as he walked in. "I was just letting Bant teach me a thing or two about sabaac."

"Uh huh," Bant replied from the dresser before excusing herself to the 'fresher.

Obi-Wan sat down next to his wife on their bed and leaned forward to kiss her. "I have some news," he informed her. "Xanatos chose his crystal today."

Padme looked surprised and then concerned. "That worked out for him then?"

"You didn't think it would?"

Her eyes shifted and Obi-Wan recognized the fact she was attempting to provide a most diplomatic answer as possible. "I wasn't entirely sure the Force would deem him worthy enough, honestly."

Obi-Wan leaned across his wife, keeping his weight supported by his outstretched arm. "I really think you need to give him a chance. I have, and apparently the Force sees something in him too. Otherwise, a weapon wouldn't have been revealed to him, would it have?"

Padme reached out to grab hold of his free hand, her brows lowering with worry. "I hope you're right."

"It will all work out, you'll see. Try not to worry, The Force will guide us and everything will be turn out just fine. Trust me."

A skeptical brow rose, but it was followed by a lopsided grin which drew Obi-Wan forward once more to erase with a long and langorous kiss; one which brought his blood to a simmer. Ever since her confinement, Bant had thought it best they refrain from any strenous interactions, and frankly, Obi-Wan missed it. He missed the feel of her naked skin pressed against his hands, of her heat wrapped around him, of sharing the intimacy of physically joining with Padme. However, he figured he had waited nearly twenty-six years to be with her in such a fashion, surely he could wait another six months.

However, he would not deny himself the pleasures of kissing Padme, nor of bringing her pleasure in other ways. Obi-Wan took the opportunity to bring his lips to her earlobe and then run his tongue lightly down her neck. He could feel her response in the way her body trembled and how the skin along her arm transformed to a mass of pimpled flesh. And although she pleaded for him to stop, he knew she actually desired the opposite, and he continued his tortuous caresses a while longer before returning his attention to her mouth, which opened readily to accept his explorations.

After a few seconds, his head was fogged with desire, which was why it took so long to recognize the voice coming from the doorway.

Bant was the one who answered its call, appearing from the fresher, her skin covered with recently applied moisture. "You two need to find a room," she spouted as she opened the door to allow Sabe entrance.

"Mi'Lady," the young woman announced as she walked forward, curtseying quickly, "we have a visitor."

Strange, Padme thought as she exchanged curious looks with Obi-Wan. They weren't expecting anyone, but then, they hadn't actually expected Xanatos either. The man had simply appeared out of nowhere. Was word really spreading that quickly about their cause? How many more would come to their door expecting to be tested? And how many would they have to turn away?

"Who is it?" she finally asked the obvious question, her interest rising when she noticed the concern etched in the handmaiden's face.

"Senator Palpatine."

"Chancellor," another voice from the doorway interrupted as the older man made his own entry. "I do hope I'm not intruding, but I wanted to share the news myself. I've recently been elected Chancellor, and find myself in the position to be of some help."

Padme was stunned with the news, but then, she had been out of the loop, so-to-speak when it came to political happenings.

"How are you, my dear?" Palpatine asked with genuine feeling as he approached the bed. "I've heard of your condition. Is there anything I can do to help? Perhaps one of my physicians.."

"Thank you, Chancellor, but no," Padme countered in a friendly manner as Obi-Wan stood and moved several steps out of the way. "I have been receiving the best of care," she replied, casting a quick wink at Bant, who stood dutifully in the corner of the room.

"Then allow me to offer you congratulations."

The visit was unexpected, but she had known Roberd Palpatine a long time. She shouldn't be surprised he had come to check on her. It was sweet of him, actually, to offer his well wishes for their unborn child. If that was the reason for his visit, although Padme suspected it was not.

"In my new station," he continued. "I am pleased to announced I now have the power now to do something to help you. There's a committee currently looking into the cost effectiveness of helping Theed attain its former glory, to help regain its position as the center of commerce and trade in the Bothan system. I wanted to share this good news with you myself. Soon, everything Naboo once was will be again and all will return to normal."

Just once, Padme wished she could be wrong.


End file.
